London, Great Britain, 8 July 2022 | Leigh Rogers

Nick Kyrgios will contest the Wimbledon 2022 gentlemen’s singles final.

The 27-year-old Australian has received a walkover in the semifinals, with second seed Rafael Nadal unable to compete due to an abdominal injury.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal made the decision today, ahead of tomorrow’s semifinals.

“I think it doesn’t make sense to go (on),” said a disappointed Nadal. “Even if I tried lot of times during my career to keep going under very tough circumstances, I think it’s obvious that if I keep going, the injury (is) going to be worse and worse … (I) feel very sad to say that.”

We're sad to see it end this way, @RafaelNadal

Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championships#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/XadiEVxaWF

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2022

A Grand Slam men’s singles semifinal has only been decided via a walkover once before in the Open era, when Jim Courier received a walkover from Richard Krajicek in the Australian Open 1992 semifinals.

“I made my decision because I believe that I can’t win two matches under these circumstances,” said Nadal, who had been on a 19-match winning streak in Grand Slam matches this season.

“I can’t serve. Is not only that I can’t serve at the right speed, it’s that I can’t do the normal movement to serve.

“I don’t want to go out there, not be competitive enough to play at the level that I need to play to achieve my goal, and with a big chance to make the things much worse, no?”

This is just the second time in Nadal’s storied Grand Slam career, which has netted a record 22 titles and 310 match wins, that he has withdrawn mid-tournament.

World No.40 Kyrgios becomes the ninth Australian to progress to a Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles final in the Open era and first since Mark Philippoussis 19 years earlier, who was also unseeded when he contested the 2003 final.

Kyrgios is the first Australian man to reach any Grand Slam singles final since Lleyton Hewitt’s runner-up finish at Australian Open 2005.

He will play either top seed and three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic or British hope Cameron Norrie in Sunday’s championship match.

Aussies in action – Wimbledon

RESULTS
Gentlemen’s singles, semifinals
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) d [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) walkover

COMING UP
Gentlemen’s singles, final
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) v TBC

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