Steve Darcis, best known for defeating Rafael Nadal at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships, won’t be a part of the mix this time around as he plans to take small steps after undergoing a wrist surgery.
The 32-year-old Belgian returned to tennis in May this year after a three-month hiatus due to problems with his wrist, before he was compelled to go under the knife to get the issues resolved.
Darcis, however, is taking no chances to stress his wrist further as he opts to partake at two ATP Challenger events in Blois and Marburg as an alternative to the prestigious Wimbledon.
“It is with a heavy heart that I have to (withdraw) from Wimbledon despite being fit, but I do not wish to overload my wrist,” said the World No. 123, who won the Lyon challenger last week.
“I don’t (want) to skip steps in my rehabilitation process, and (I) therefore choose the Challenger tournaments in Blois and Marburg,” he added of his vigilance in the rehabilitation process.
Darcis played his last major at the French Open last month, where he went all the way from the qualifiers to set up a second-round clash with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic before going down to the eventual champion in straight sets.
