Nadal Commits to Rio2016 Games

Rafael Nadal has decided to risk his left wrist injury to take part in Rio and will play in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

“After discussing it with my team, I have decided I will play everything that I can. We are here and practice has gone well – more or less,” Nadal said. “It’s not an ideal situation – there are always risks.”
The 30-year-old, who missed Wimbledon through injury, is scheduled to play doubles with Marc Lopez and mixed doubles with French Open champion Garbine Muguruza.

The 14-time slam winner won gold in Beijing eight years ago but missed London with a knee injury. He is due to carry Spain’s flag in Rio.

Nadal’s decision to play in all three events is a major boost for organisers after world No 4 Stan Wawrinka pulled out with a back injury.

Wawrinka has been replaced in the draw by big-serving Australian Sam Groth.
Stan joins fellow Swiss Roger Federer in withdrawing from the Games. Fellow top ten players Milos Raonic, Tomas Berdych and Dominic Thiem have also opted out of the Olympics.

The women’s singles have been stripped of Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, who is pregnant, Belinda Bencic and Karolina Pliskova. Maria Sharapova, meanwhile, is serving a two-year doping ban.