(Reuters) – Taylor Fritz has rejected suggestions from fans that Rafa Nadal should have retired from their Wimbledon quarter-final due to injury and let the American progress to the semis.
Nadal beat Fritz 3-6 7-5 3-6 7-5 7-6 (10-4) on Wednesday despite the 22-times Grand Slam winner appearing close to retiring due to an abdominal injury.
On Thursday, the injured Spaniard pulled out of his semi-final against Nick Kyrgios.
In response to a comment on Instagram saying Nadal should have let him advance, Fritz wrote, “Nah not looking for handouts, if I couldn’t beat him then I don’t deserve to be in semis … simple as that.”
The 24-year-old, who collected his first Masters 1000 crown by beating an injured Nadal at Indian Wells earlier this year, said the Wimbledon defeat was the most painful of his career.
Australian Kyrgios will face either six-times champion Novak Djokovic or local hope Cameron Norrie in Sunday’s final.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
