Tennis’ Nightmare Year Continues as Injured Rafael Nadal Exits French Open

Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal from the 2016 French Open inflicts another injury on an already battered tennis season.  

Every sport takes a hit. However, after some serious blows, tennis is hemorrhaging. 

Roger Federer withdrew from the French Open. It’s the first time he’s missed a Grand Slam since August 1999. Maria Sharapova is home on a provisional drug suspension. Now Nadal, the King of Clay, is also out at Roland Garros. 

The year got off to an ugly start. A match-fixing scandal overshadowed the Australian Open. In March, Sharapova stepped up to a microphone to announce she had tested positive for meldonium, a drug added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substance list this year. Then the head of Indian Wells stepped down after making disparaging remarks about women.

There’s been ongoing bickering about equal prize money. Several high-profile players have announced that they are skipping the Olympics. 

The season isn’t even half over, yet it feels like one of the worst in recent memory.

Share Tweet With Federer, Sharapova and Nadal out, Serena Williams is the only active career Grand Slam winner competing in the French Open. Even she’s been missing in action most of the season. 

Victoria Azarenka won Indian Wells and the Miami Open back-to-back. After a couple of years of fighting injuries, Azarenka appeared ready to challenge Serena. Then she injured herself, again, and had to retire in her first-round match at the French Open.

Gael Monfils, Belinda Bencic and Caroline Wozniacki had already withdrawn from the tournament. 

Injuries happen. But this year they’re happening to iconic figures. 

What makes matters worse is that much of the bad news—the injuries, scandals—remains unresolved. It’s not clear if Federer or Nadal will be healthy enough to compete at Wimbledon or the Olympics. Sharapova’s fate is still up in the air, and other players are rumored to have tested positive for meldonium. 

Fans are feeling the strain. Some took to Twitter to express their disappointment over a Roland Garros fortnight minus Nadal and …

continue reading in source www.bleacherreport.com