"Just to see Rafael Nadal find a way with literally a dead foot is outrageous" - Rennae Stubbs on the Spaniard's French Open campaign
Ahead of the 2022 French Open, Rafael Nadal announced that his doctor would be accompanying him to Roland Garros as a result of the persistent foot pain that he was experiencing before the start of the tournament.
Nadal went on to win the tournament with a "dead foot" that was numbed with anaesthetic and painkillers, prompting former Australian player Rennae Stubbs to describe the achievement as "just outrageous."
Let’s finish up this clay court season!! @caitlin_thompsand i dive right into the greatest of @RafaelNadal & the dominance of @iga_swiatek open.spotify.com/episode/3UNvoY…
On the latest edition of her show, 'The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast,' the 51-year-old said she that knew what was going to happen when Nadal got his doctor along to Paris.
"You know just to see Rafa again, find a way, with literally a dead foot - I knew when he said that he was bringing his doctor to the French Open, I knew exactly was going to be happening. I knew that he would be hitting that foot out with as much painkiller and anaesthetic that he could, to be able to operate on the tennis court and run," Stubbs said, adding, "You know to see what he did by winning the tournament again is just outrageous."
The Australian shed light on what it meant for Nadal to put his "foot to sleep" and the associated risks involved that include potential tearing, rolling of the ankles, or even a fracture.
"To put his foot to sleep basically, to think he has an issue with the bone sort of basically depleting on him and cutting the nerve so he can actually run on a tennis court without pain is just outrageous," Stubb said.
"You hear it in his voice, he knows that he cannot sustain that because when you put your foot to sleep you don’t have as much control over it and he’s probably worried about tearing or obviously going over on his ankle or he could fracture his foot and he has no idea because he has no pain in it because he’s deadened it so it’s just unbelievable," she said.
"Truly unbelievable, once again memorable match between two greatest players of all time" - Rennae Stubbs on the French Open quarterfinal between Nadal and Novak Djokovic
Rafael Nadal, without displaying overt or visible signs of distress, overcame the likes of Felix Auger-Aliassime and World No. 1 Novak Djokovic en route to a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam win.
Stubbs looked back at the Spaniard's French Open campaign, beginning with his gruelling five-setter against Auger-Aliassime that could have gone either way.
The 36-year-old prevailed with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 scoreline before taking on arch-rival Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals.
#RolandGarros 2022 (QF)
#Nadal Vs #Djokovic
Rafa’s best points
(1/2) https://t.co/j5WFYlLY29
Stubbs described the quarterfinal match as an "unbelievable" and "memorable" clash between the "two greatest players of all time."
"Of course he has to play Novak in the quarterfinals, one that was truly unbelievable, once again memorable match between two greatest players of all time," Stubbs said.
The Mallorcan had a relatively easy road ahead after the quarterfinals, with Alexander Zverev having to concede in the semifinals before the completion of the second set and Casper Ruud's capitulation in the third set of the finals with the scoreline reading 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in favour of Nadal.
"Then you know. it’s almost like it was too easy for him, obviously in the final, but just that awful injury from Zverev where the match was just going forever, over 3 hours and hadn’t even finished 2 sets," Stubbs said.