 "Rafael Nadal: A glittering career marked by injuries and gutsy comebacks")
Rafael Nadal boasts some of the most impressive stats in tennis, fitting for the second-most successful male player of all time. However, behind the glittering numbers lies a story of numerous breakdowns, painful battles, and gutsy comebacks. Nadal trails only Novak Djokovic in the race for the most Grand Slam titles.
Nadal has 22 Grand Slam titles as compared to Djokovic’s 24 and 14 of them have come at the French Open which is played on clay, considered by many the toughest tennis surface of all. But even more crazy is the fact that Nadal skipped 18 Grand Slams in his career due to injuries and was forced to pull midway through a major five times in his 22-year career that began in 2002.
Read | Rafa Nadal retirement full statement
Nadal’s battle with injuries began at just 17 when was forced to miss the French Open. His journey will conclude with his planned retirement after the Davis Cup finals in 2024. In the video announcing his retirement, Nadal emphasised that he can no longer play “without limitations,” marking the end of an era in tennis.
Some of his biggest injury problems have been related to his knee, feet, ankle, abdomen, and wrists.
Mil gracias a todos
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) October 10, 2024
Many thanks to all
Merci beaucoup à tous
Grazie mille à tutti
谢谢大家
شكرا لكم جميعا
תודה לכולכם
Obrigado a todos
Vielen Dank euch allen
Tack alla
Хвала свима
Gràcies a tots pic.twitter.com/7yPRs7QrOi
Timeline of Nadal’s injuries:
2003: Elbow
Two years after his professional debut, Nadal experienced his first physical problems which forced him to withdraw from the French Open after picking up an elbow injury in training.
2004: Left foot
Just 18, Nadal misses the French Open and Wimbledon due to a broken bone in his foot.
2009: Knee
In June, Nadal, having already experienced a first ever loss at the French Open, suffers tendinitis in his knees, depriving him of the opportunity to defend the Wimbledon title he had won 12 months earlier in an epic final against Roger Federer.
In September, Nadal is knocked out of the US Open semi-finals admitting to playing with an abdominal tear.
2012: Knee
Tendonitis in his left knee forces Nadal out of the Olympics where he was the defending champion. The Spanish star also sits out the US Open due to issues with his left knee.
2014: Back
Despite a back problem, Nadal battles to the Australian Open final in January where he loses to Stan Wawrinka.
In July, a right wrist injury forces him to miss the US Open.
2016: Wrist
A left wrist injury forces Nadal to withdraw from the French Open, where he is already a nine-time champion, before the third round.
2021: Foot
In August, Nadal ends his season early due to yet more left foot problems and explains he has been suffering from Mueller-Weiss syndrome for years. This condition affects one of the bones in the foot, causing chronic pain. He has surgery in September.
2022: Rib/foot/abdomen
Having defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals at Indian Wells, Nadal loses in the final to Taylor Fritz. He then misses several tournaments including the Monte Carlo Masters due to a cracked rib.
In May and June, Nadal endures searing pain in his left foot. After wrapping up a 14th French Open title - and 22nd Grand Slam crown - he reveals that he has to take “anesthetic injections before each match” to put his foot to sleep which allows him to play.
“It’s obvious that I cannot and do not want to continue playing in these circumstances,” said Nadal.
Weeks later, Nadal has to forfeit an eagerly-anticipated Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios after suffering an abdomen tear in a gruelling last-eight clash with Fritz.
2023: Hip
In January, Nadal loses in the Australian Open second round and explains that he is suffering from a hip injury. He predicted an absence from the tour of 6-8 weeks, but eventually calls time on his season before undergoing surgery.
2024: Thigh
After almost a year on the sidelines, Nadal returns to action in Brisbane, reaching the last-eight where he loses to Jordan Thompson. He feels a pain in his left thigh and an MRI scan reveals “a micro muscle tear”. He withdraws from the Australian Open and returns to Spain to consult his medical team.
Made another comeback during the European claycourt swing, playing a total of eight matches in Barcelona, Madrid and Rome ahead of the French Open.
But skipped Wimbledon in 2024 to focus on preparing for the Paris Olympics, where he was defeated in the singles by eventual champion Novak Djokovic and lost in the doubles quarter-finals partnering Carlos Alcaraz.
Later missed the US Open and Laver Cup over fitness concerns.
On 10 October, Nadal announced he will retire after the Davis Cup final at the end of November in Malaga.
With agency inputs
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