Defending champion, Rafael Nadal, has pulled out of this year’s Wimbledon championships after failing to recover from a knee injury. The champion has been suffering from tendinitis in his knees since being knocked out from French Open. He tested his fitness level in two exhibition matches this week, but after he lost both, decided to skip Wimbledon this time.

He will be the first man not to defend Wimbledon title after Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic pulled out in 2002. Nadal said that skipping Wimbledon was one of the toughest decisions in his career. He has two oedemas (swelling of knee joint), one in each knee. The Spaniard had been defeated by Lleyton Hewitt in a practice match on Thursday.

He tried to play through the pain on Friday against Wawrinka at the Hurlingham country club. The media had the eyes on his knees. After the match, he decided to forego his appearance in Wimbledon. However, he insists that the injury is not career-threatening.

Nadal’s withdrawal leaves world number  3 Andy Murray as the highest seed in that half of the draw.