Nadal satisfied with foot treatment: “I don’t have the pain I had for a year and a half”

It has been three years since Rafael Nadal was last in London to play the third Grand Slam of the season. After the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Spaniard decided not to play in the 2021 edition because of a left foot injury. In 2022, the same foot caused him problems before and during the French Open.

The 36-year-old underwent treatment on his foot just after the Paris Grand Slam, and now he is back at Wimbledon to continue to believe in his chances of winning a 23rd major title. Rafael Nadal spoke at a media day on Saturday about his physical condition and expressed his satisfaction and confidence ahead of Tuesday’s showdown.

“First of all, I can walk normal most of the days, almost every single day. That’s for me the main issue. When I wake up, I don’t have this pain that I was having for the last year and a half, so quite happy about that.

“And second thing, practising. I have been in overall better, honestly, no? Since the last two weeks, I didn’t have not one day of these terrible days that I can’t move at all. Of course, days better; days a little bit worst.”

Nadal – ‘It’s always a challenge to play on grass’

Wimbledon is undoubtedly Nadal’s least-favoured Grand Slam, as it is played on grass. The Spaniard has not played on this surface in an official tournament since July 2019, when he lost in the semi-finals in London to Roger Federer. The man with 22 Grand Slam titles may have played two exhibition matches at Hurlingham this week, but he knows he will have to find some rhythm in the first week of Wimbledon.

“I had some success here. It’s true that I didn’t play here for a while. No matches, official matches, before the tournament going to start. So always is a challenge.

“Comparing to other surfaces that you have to think a little bit more under control in terms of knowing what can happen. Even if every single time you go on court, you can lose, you can win. It’s a little bit more predictable when you have the history in the weeks before, no?

“Here is no history for me. I didn’t play. It’s a while without playing here. So, no, that’s not bothering me. Just trying to keep following my daily work and just put myself in a position that find positive feelings to be competitive from the beginning and then let’s see.”

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