Rafael Nadal is one of the greatest players in the history of tennis, but he has spent time on the sidelines through injury in recent years.
Since making his professional debut in 2001 at the age of just 15, Nadal skyrocketed to the top of the game.
He has over 20 Grand Slam titles, and became the youngest player to achieve a career Golden Slam – winning all four Grand Slams and an Olympic title.
The Spaniard is renowned for his sensational play on clay courts, and he holds the record for most French Open titles.
He has one of the best techniques in the game, and combines his smooth movement with an innate ability to apply spin and swerve to his forehand and backhand shots.
Now 35, Nadal is still going strong. He won the 2022 Australian Open – his first men’s singles title in almost three years.
But he has become increasingly affected by injury in recent seasons. Throughout 2021, Rafael Nadal suffered from a recurring left foot injury. It forced him to withdraw from several tournaments. His season ended early as a result.
But what exactly is the problem, and how has Nadal dealt with it?
Rafael Nadal’s foot injury
Although he has begun to miss more matches over recent years, the foot injury that Rafael Nadal suffers from has not been recently diagnosed.
He noticed problems during the 2005 Madrid Masters, and was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss Syndrome later that year. It is a rare degenerative disease, and causes chronic mid-foot pain.
In addition, as per scientific studies, it is described as a ‘spontaneous adult-onset osteonecrosis of the navicular bone’. The navicular bone is positioned above the metatarsals on a person’s foot. It is a critical component in the extent of movement of the foot.
In February, Nadal’s uncle, Toni, claimed that the player would eventually have surgery on his foot problem at the end of his career, which would prevent him from playing tennis.
He added: “The specialist who saw us in 2005 told us that it would be very difficult for him to do sport at the highest level. But Rafael has been defying that in the best possible way.”
What has Nadal said about his foot injury?
Questions were raised about the Spaniard’s physical health earlier this year. At the Madrid Open, he edged out a hard-fought match against David Goffin to reach the quarter-finals.
However, fans were concerned after Nadal was seen limping to his post-match press conference. Furthermore, he then emotionally revealed the extent of his problems.
He explained (quotes via Daily Express): “If you saw me on a daily basis, you would not be worried. Because I limp on many days of my life.
“I always have pain in my foot, especially after playing a three-hour match or long training. So it’s normal that now I am walking a little badly.
“But I have a chronic foot injury which has no treatment. That is part of my life. That’s the downside of not being able to finish the match earlier.”
Rafael Nadal almost quit tennis
Shortly after the rare foot injury was diagnosed in 2005, Rafael Nadal considered retiring from tennis. He debated taking up golf. Thankfully for tennis fans, however, he decided against it.
Speaking in his autobiography, released in 2011, he wrote (quotes via The Guardian): “The diagnosis had initially been like a shot to the head. The bone still hurts me. It remains under control, just. But we can never drop our guard.”
Had he switched to golf, it’s not impossible to believe that Nadal would have been very successful. As per Golf Magic, the Spaniard currently plays off a scratch handicap, despite the time and commitment he gives to tennis.
When he eventually hangs up the racquet, don’t be too surprised if the 35-year-old makes an appearance at a professional golf event.
Featured Image Credit: Getty
