“Nadal has gone way beyond the limits any human being would go to in terms of pain & everything to get that title” – Bartoli
In the latest episode of Match Points, Marion Bartoli says that Rafael Nadal went all in to achieve his quest of winning a 14th Roland-Garros title
Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros 2022
Image Credit: JB Autissier / Panoramic
Rafael Nadal had one clear goal in mind in Paris – to win a 14th Roland-Garros and 22nd Grand Slam title and former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli says that the Spaniard wanted to go all in in his quest to achieve his goal.
Nadal had to take injections to numb his foot, along with anti-inflammatories and painkillers, through the fortnight in Paris and two days after winning another French Open, he underwent treatment on his foot in Barcelona and was snapped in crutches.
Bartoli on Nadal : you could see on his face…
Bartoli, who is now a commentator for television and was also one of the on-court interviewers in Paris, said she could see Nadal suffering in pain when she was close to the court during his matches, during our latest podcast program, Match Points.
“I was courtside for a lot of his matches. And I could see on his face, because you can read the emotion a lot more when you have someone getting his towel one metre away from you or playing the ball two metres away from you rather than commentating from the booth, where it a lot more difficult to read the body language. Despite his incredible match against Zverev, which for me was insane in terms of all levels, or even against Auger-Aliassime or even before that, he was really suffering. The pain was still there, he was trying to manage through it.”
June 5th and nothing beyond
Bartoli added that Nadal had a single goal in Paris – to win the title and then assess his physical fitness and future plans after that.
“But I think for Rafa, everything was planned until the 5th of June. His goal was to win a 14th Roland-Garros and a 22nd Grand Slam title and then see. And for me, what he has done, he has gone way beyond the limits any human being would go to in terms of pain and everything to get that title and then to assess.”
I don’t think he wanted to save anything in order to win that title. Absolutely not!!
Marion Bartoli
“Right now, he is with his medical team, assessing how much damage he has done on top of all the suffering he has already had before Roland-Garros, because he really wanted the title. And if that’s what it takes to get that title, then he is ready to accept that. I don’t think he wanted to save anything in order to win that title. Absolutely not!!”
Nadal is expected to resume training a few days after his latest treatment and then determine whether he needs another round of treatment. His decision to play at Wimbledon will depend on how his foot feels once he resumes training.
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I can’t believe that Rafael Nadal received shots for pain in his foot. But he admits to it. Does that mean that all professional tennis players may receive the same treatment for their aches and pain? Any substance that relieves the player of pain can be used? I am sad to hear that he took this route. I know that he has won millions of dollars. The French Title puts him in a different category which will probably last for many years. Is it fair?