"We played with an injection on the nerve, the foot was asleep" - Rafael Nadal highlights his struggles to clinch the French Open
Rafael Nadal clinched a record-extending 14th French Open title and 22nd Grand Slam overall on Sunday, beating Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in the summit clash.
Speaking to Eurosport after the win, Nadal revealed that he required injections on his nerves to alleviate the pain caused by his degenerative foot condition. The Spaniard has been suffering from Mueller-Weiss syndrome since the start of his career but has seen his condition worsen in the last 12 months.
The ailment caused the Mallorcan a great deal of pain at last year's French Open, but he managed to keep it under control in Paris this fortnight with the help of his doctor.
"I had my doctor here with me, yeah, I don't know how to say in English the thing that we did but we played with no feelings on the foot," Rafael Nadal said. "We played with an injection on the nerve... so the foot was asleep, so that's why I was able to play."
"That's why I was able to play." 💬💉
In a Eurosport exclusive, Rafa Nadal has revealed that medical injections meant he played the French Open final with no feeling in his foot!
#RolandGarros | @RafaelNadal
When asked if he believed he could win the Roland Garros title this year, given his injury concerns, the 36-year-old asserted that he had never given up.
"Well if I didn't believe then probably I will not be here. But of course been a big surprise and unexpected as everybody knows," Nadal said, adding, "Especially as everybody knows in the world of tennis that the preparation was not an ideal one. I have been outside of the practice courts and the tour for 1 month and a half with the stress fracture on the ribs and then I have the foot - something that stays there all the time. In Rome have been very difficult."
"This could be the reason that Rafael Nadal goes down as the greatest player of all time" - Mats Wilander
Former World No. 1 Mats Wilander was part of the Eurosport panel that quizzed Rafael Nadal on a bunch of topics after the presentation ceremony.
The Swede opined that the Spaniard will cherish his 22nd Major the most given the circumstances in which it was won.
"I would think it must be [the sweetest title for Nadal]. First of all, he didn’t know if he was going to be able to play, every morning when he woke up. But now [we must] focus on not 14… but 22!" said Wilander.
Wilander reckons the King of Clay is likely to go down as the GOAT (greatest of all time), since he now leads arch-rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer by two Majors in the Grand Slam race.
"He’s two ahead of Novak and Roger now, and this could be the reason that he goes down as the greatest player of all time. Again, he’s so humble and in the present moment that it seems like he’s going to keep going," Wilander said.
Rafa-Garros 🇪🇸🏆 https://t.co/0iC9GYREvt