Rafael Nadal pulls out of wedding with knee injury

TENNIS star Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from his wedding with Maria Francisca Perelló due to a knee injury, it has emerged.

Once again, an injury has caused Nadal to pull out of a significant event, but this time it isn't Wimbledon; it's his own wedding.

The 19-time slam champion was due to marry his longtime sweetheart "Xisca" on his home island of Mallorca this month, but sources say the Spaniard's knee tendonitis, a condition that has plagued his career, flared up during an intense salsa lesson he was taking in preparation for the traditional "first dance" following the wedding ceremony.

Perelló is no stranger to Nadal's injury woes, having attended many of Nadal's matches throughout his entire career. But having waited patiently and gracefully for the "Matador" to put down his racket, get down on one of those brittle knees and ask her to marry him, surely even she is pissed off.

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the week, Nadal said: "I arrived back home a few days ago and started some light training for the wedding. Just a couple of three hour dance sessions a day, an hour or two on the treadmill and some high intensity circuit training, nothing too crazy.

"But after two days I started to feel pain in the knee, especially when executing the right pivot turn in the salsa dances, so unfortunately I have to withdraw. I apologise to Xisca and I hope I will be healthy and ready to marry her sometime in 2020."

It's not clear when Nadal will be fit enough to attend his own wedding, but if his tennis injuries are anything to go by, expect a lengthy layoff involving vigorous training sessions and fishing trips on his luxury yacht.

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