"I was lucky to have a father who was so positive" - Rafael Nadal reveals how his father Sebastian lifted him out of despair over career-ending injury
Rafael Nadal has expressed deep gratitude for his father Sebastian's positive influence in his life. The Spaniard disclosed how his father's optimism helped him endure one of the most difficult periods of his life.
Although Nadal recently retired with an exceptional record of 22 Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals, and 209 weeks as the World No. 1, there was once a time when his career nearly ended as a teenager. At just 17 years old, the Spaniard developed a chronic degenerative condition in his left foot called Mueller-Weiss syndrome and was warned that he would likely never play professional tennis again.
In a recent interview with The Players' Tribune, Rafael Nadal reflected on the devastating diagnosis, describing the pain of learning that the condition couldn't be cured but only managed.
"I got hurt when I was 17 and I was told I would probably never play professional tennis again. I learned that things can end in an instant. It’s not just a tiny crack in my foot, it’s a disease. There’s no cure, only management. Mueller-Weiss syndrome. What does that even mean? You go from the greatest joy to waking up the next morning not being able to walk," the Spaniard said.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion admitted that he spent days in tears after the diagnosis but described the experience as a humbling life lesson. Nadal credited his father Sebastian's unwavering positivity, recalling that his father assured him that they would find a solution, and if not, there was more to life than tennis.
The 38-year-old also expressed gratitude that, after a lot of pain, surgeries, and rehabilitation, the doctors found a solution that eventually allowed him to have a stellar career for over two decades.
"I spent many days at home crying, but it was a great lesson in humility, and I was lucky to have a father — the real influence I’ve had in my life — who was always so positive. "We will find a solution," he said. "And if we don’t, there are other things in life outside of tennis,"" Nadal recalled.
"Hearing those words, I could barely process it, but thank God, after a lot of pain and surgeries and rehabilitation and tears, a solution was found, and for all these years, I was able to fight through it," he added.
Rafael Nadal: "My father has been a source of inspiration to me in every sense of the word"
Rafael Nadal paid a special tribute to his father Sebastian in his emotional retirement announcement earlier this year. The Spaniard credited his father as a constant source of inspiration, praising him as a role model for his perseverance.
"To my father, who I believe, has been a source of inspiration to me in every sense of the word. I think he has been an example of effort, of overcoming. Many, many thanks to my father in a very, very special way," he said.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion also gave a heartwarming shoutout to his mather Ana Maria, acknowledging the countless sacrifices she made to ensure that he and his sister Maribel had everything they needed to thrive.
"My family is everything to me. My mother, I think she has made all the sacrifices she had to make so that we would always have everything," he added.
Having become a father himself, Rafael Nadal also spoke about how his baby son "really kept him alive and with the necessary energy" to make a final push in his career.