London, England

Rafael Nadal decided not to defend his men's singles title in the upcoming London Games due to an undisclosed injury, the Spanish netter announced.

The 26-year-old Nadal said he was not in condition to compete for the London Olympics, adding it is easily the hardest decision he made in his career.

"This is one of the saddest moments of my career," Nadal said in a statement, according to ESPN "I have to think about my companions, I can't be selfish and I have to think of what's best for Spanish sport, especially tennis and Spanish players, and give fellow sportsmen with better preparation the chance to compete.

Despite winning the French Open title for a record seven times, Nadal is having a mediocre kind of season after struggling with his knee injury in the first quarter of the year and then getting stunned by unheralded Lukas Rosol in the second round of the Wimbledon Open.

Nadal's decision to skip the quadrennial sporting event cost Spain's its flagbearer and the Olympics one of its biggest stars -- along with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic - in the men's singles draw.

Nadal won the gold medal in Beijing four years ago after vanquishing Federer in the semifinals and recently retired Chilean netter Fernando Gonzales.

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