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Rafa Nadal's shock Wimbledon act sparks divisive 'lucky loser' debate

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·4-min read
American tennis player Taylor Fritz (pictured right) walking off court after a loss and (pictured left) Rafa Nadal walking onto the court before a match at Wimbledon.
The debate on whether Taylor Fritz (pictured right) should replace Rafa Nadal (pictured left) in the men's Wimbledon semi-final has erupted after the Spaniard withdrew due to injury. (Getty Images)

Rafa Nadal's withdrawal from Wimbledon at the semi-final stage gifted Nick Kyrgios a walkover into the final, but the announcement at such a pivotal point has rekindled an old tennis debate.

Nadal suffered an abdominal injury in a gutsy four hour and 20 minute victory over American Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals.

OUCH: Rafa Nadal doubters humbled after horror Wimbledon injury drama

'RESPECT': Nick Kyrgios reaches out to Rafa Nadal after shock withdrawal

However, after attempting to train ahead of his showdown with Kyrgios, Nadal made the decision to withdraw from Wimbledon.

Reports suggest scans showed Nadal suffered a seven millimetre tear to his abdomen during the quarter-final.

Nadal admitted he didn't want to risk further injury and he wouldn't be facing Kyrgios without much of a chance to advance.

While tennis fans were robbed of a blockbuster showdown between rivals Nadal and Kyrgios, many also feel Kyrgios advancing to the final without playing a match is bizarre.

While the argument doesn't carry the same weight when a player withdraws earlier in a tournament, Nadal's decision at the semi-final stage at Wimbledon has raised eyebrows.

Tennis great Pam Shriver helped spark the conversation when she questioned whether Fritz should be granted the opportunity to play Kyrgios as a 'lucky loser'.

Fans debated whether tennis needed a solution to the bizarre predicament.

Taylor Fritz responds to 'lucky loser' controversy

As the debate raged on, Fritz offered his thoughts as a player on the controversy.

Responding to a fan on Instagram, Fritz said it wouldn't sit right with him to advance to the semi-final having just lost a match.

"Nah, not looking for handouts," a classy Fritz said.

"I I couldn't beat him then I don't deserve to be in the semis...simple as that."

Fritz was rightfully gutted after losing the quarter-final, which he said was the hardest loss of his career to date.

“After the match was over, I was sitting there and I felt like crying, like I wanted to cry,” Fritz said in his post-match press conference.

“I’ve never felt like that ever after a loss. I've never felt like I could cry after a loss.

"Just that's telling enough to know that this one hurt more than any other one's hurt before.”

Kyrgios will become the first Australian man in the Wimbledon singles final since Mark Philippoussis lost to Roger Federer in 2003 in what was the Swiss maestro's first of 20 grand slam successes.

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