June 19, 2009. REUTERS/Toby Melville (BRITAIN SPORT TENNIS)

Rafa will not be defending his title at Wimbledon in 2009. In a press conference at Wimbledon Nadal said, “I think I reached the limit right now. I need to reset to come back stronger.” Nadal is spot on. For a tennis player, let alone a defending champion, to withdraw from Wimbledon shows serious concern by the World #1 about the health of his knees. Nadal did say that the injuries aren’t career threatening and that he’ll recover completely. Maybe the demands of being the World #1 have caught up with the young Spaniard. If he does recover back to full health look for Nadal to be a serious threat at the 2009 US Open in New York. Normally towards the end of the US hard court circuit Nadal has been beat up, but with this extra rest we may see a different Rafa then we’re used to in New York. Stay tuned as 2009 Wimbledon unfolds in the coming fortnight  …