Tennis is tennis and GSlams are Grandslams and Wimbledon is the same with or without the key players playing, the history will recognize only the winners and the not the players who missed or lost.

Be it Rod Laver, or Bjorn Borg, or Pete Sampras or Roger Federer or Rafa if they dont play it doesnt mean the Wimbledon win is not worthy.

Every player or a champion in the past have either missed a Slam or havent played it to their best capability.

While Laver was stopped from playing in his years, Borg retired early when atleast 5 years was left on him physically [not mentally thou], and Sampras did play some Wimbledon with back problem, Roger has played last year Wimbledon with GFever.

So yes missing Rafa will be tough for his fans but thats how cruel the international sports are, specially the modern day tennis.

So if a player doesnt play it doesnt devalue the game, nobody can win always and if he/she doesnt play doesnt mean the player who won it could not have beaten him if he had played, so the winner is worthy of a title if he wins it.

In 2 weeks time from coming Monday we will see a champion and the champion deserves his title bcoz he won it.

I hope an young talent rise to the occasion and fill in the role of Rafa.