Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon semi-final with abdominal injury

Rafa Nadal’s hopes of completing a rare calendar year Grand Slam ended on Thursday when the Spaniard withdrew from his highly-anticipated showdown with Australian Nick Kyrgios with an abdominal strain.

“I have to pull out of the tournament as I have been suffering with pain in the abdomen,” said the 36-year-old, the holder of a men’s record 22 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal had triumphed at the Australian and French Opens this year and had been hoping to become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to complete the calendar-year slam.