Rafael Nadal skipping Wimbledon to prep for Paris

Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he is skipping Wimbledon next month to prepare for the Paris Olympics.

The two-time Wimbledon champion was named to Spain's team for the Summer Games on Wednesday.

The Olympic competition will take place at Roland Garros, where Nadal is a record 14-time French Open champion.

Nadal, 38, posted on social media Thursday that he has been practicing on clay to prepare for his "last Olympics."

"With this goal, we believe that the best for my body is not to change surface and keep playing on clay until then. It's for this reason that I will miss playing at the championships this year at Wimbledon," he wrote.

"I am saddened not to be able to live this year the great atmosphere of that amazing event that will always be in my heart, and be with all the British fans that always gave me great support. I will miss you all."

Nadal's 22 Grand Slam singles titles include triumphs on the grass courts at Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010.

Nadal won gold in singles at the 2008 Beijing Games and in doubles (with Marc Lopez) at the 2016 Rio Games.

--Field Level Media