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Rafael Nadal pulled out of Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, saying he took the decision after consultations with his team in a bid to prolong his career.
The 35-year-old Spaniard said the two-week gap between the French Open and Wimbledon -- which starts on June 28 -- was not enough time for him to recuperate after a demanding claycourt season where he played in five tournaments.
"I have decided not to participate at this year's Championships at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games in Tokyo," Nadal, twice a Wimbledon champion, said on Twitter.
"It's never an easy decision to take but after listening to my body and discussing it with my team I understand that it is the right decision."
Nadal, a 20-time Grand Slam winner, played at the Monte Carlo Masters, Barcelona, Madrid Masters and Rome Masters before the French Open.
Nadal, a record 13-time champion at Roland Garros, made a run to this year's semi-finals and was knocked out by eventual champion Novak Djokovic in a four-set thriller -- only his third loss on the Parisian clay where he has won 105 matches.
"The fact that there has only been two weeks between RG (Roland Garros) and Wimbledon, didn't make it easier on my body to recuperate after the always demanding clay court season," he added.
"They have been two months of great effort and the decision I take is focused looking at the mid and long-term."
Nadal has won two gold medals at the Olympics -- a singles title in 2008 in Beijing and a doubles gold at Rio 2016, where he was the flag bearer for Spain.
"The Olympic Games always meant a lot and they were always a priority as a sports person, I found the spirit that every sports person in the world wants to live," Nadal said.
"I personally had the chance to live three of them and had the honour to be the flag bearer for my country."
Thiem withdraws from Tokyo Olympics with eye on defending US Open crown
Austria's Dominic Thiem withdrew from the Olympics on Thursday, saying he did not feel ready to give his best in Tokyo but was looking forward to competing at Wimbledon this month and defending his U.S. Open title later this year.
Thiem, ranked fifth in the world, has endured a torrid season with a 9-8 win-loss record in 2021. A French Open finalist in 2018 and 2019, Thiem was knocked out in the first round at Roland Garros this year.
The 27-year-old said he discussed his situation with his team and described withdrawing from the Olympics as a "very difficult decision".
"For me, like all athletes, taking part in the Olympics and representing my country is a huge honour and that makes this decision even tougher. However, 2021 did not start as expected and I don't feel ready to play my best in Tokyo," Thiem said on Twitter.
"These last two weeks I have been training hard and I'm starting to improve my conditioning and concentration little by little.
"My goal is to work hard the coming weeks, give my best at Wimbledon and keep training and hopefully defend my U.S. Open title."
Thiem won his maiden Grand Slam title in New York last year to end the stranglehold of the 'Big Three' of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
Thiem is the second top-five ranked player to withdraw from the July 23-Aug. 8 Olympics on Thursday after Nadal also pulled out earlier in the day. Nadal, 35, is also skipping Wimbledon as the Spaniard bids to prolong his career.
"I am young and I hope to be able to play for Austria at the Olympics in Paris 2024," Thiem added.
World number one Novak Djokovic said on the eve of the French Open that he might consider skipping the Tokyo Olympics if the two-week sporting festival takes place without spectators.
