Rafael Nadal declared on Saturday that he had successfully overcome the debilitating foot discomfort that had threatened to drive him to the verge of retirement for the first time in 18 months.
Earlier this month, Nadal won his record-setting 22nd major and 14th French Open, putting him halfway to the first men’s calendar Grand Slam since 1969.
After winning in Paris, he disclosed that he had to have his left foot anaesthetized in order to continue fighting.
Then, he received “pulsed radiofrequency stimulation,” a procedure meant to lessen nerve pain.
“Most days, virtually every day, I can walk normally. That’s the main problem for me, “admitted the 36-year-old Spaniard on Saturday at Wimbledon.
I’m delighted that when I wake up, I won’t have the pain that I have had for the past 18 months.
“Practice is the next item. I haven’t experienced a single one of these dreadful days where I am completely immobile since the past two weeks. Positive emotions pervade the situation.”
Although Nadal has won two Wimbledon championships, his most recent triumph at the All England Club was 12 years ago.
He at least has the advantage of avoiding his old foe and top seed Novak Djokovic until the final this year because he is seeded two.
The Spaniard chose to concentrate on relieving his foot problem before practising on the surface in Mallorca rather than participating in a grass-court warm-up tournament.
I never imagined that I’d have a chance to win Wimbledon in 2003 (his first year),” he stated.
“Today, the situation is different. Here, I had considerable success.”
