Nadal says he is pain free from foot trouble
LONDON: Rafael Nadal said on Saturday that for the first time in 18 months he has defeated the crippling foot pain which threatened to push him to the brink of retirement. Nadal captured his 14th French Open and record-extending 22nd Grand Slam earlier this month to put himself halfway to the first men’s calendar Grand Slam since 1969.
However, in the aftermath of his Paris victory, he revealed that he had needed to have his left foot anaesthetised to keep competing. He then underwent “pulsed radiofrequency stimulation”, a treatment aimed at reducing nerve pain.
“I can walk normal most of the days, almost every single day. That’s for me the main issue,” said the 36-year-old Spaniard at Wimbledon on Saturday.
“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. Since the last two weeks, I didn’t have one day of these terrible days that I can’t move at all. The feeling and overall feelings are positive,” he added.
Didn’t know when I would return: Serena
London: Serena Williams admits that she didn’t know how or when she would return to tennis but insisted retirement had not been on her agenda during her year-long absence.
“I didn’t retire. I just needed to heal physically, mentally. I had no plans. I just didn’t know when I would come back. I didn’t know how I would come back,” said the 40-year-old on Saturday.
The American star will return to singles action at Wimbledon next week after a year. Williams said that she didn’t want that heartbreaking exit to be her last memory of Wimbledon.
“It was a lot of motivation, to be honest. It was always something since the match ended that was always on my mind. Wimbledon was tough last year. I felt like I was injured for most of the year. Then I ripped my hamstring,” she added.
Tsitsipas clinches first grass title in Mallorca
PARIS: Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed his first title on grass on Saturday after beating Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2) in the Mallorca Open final.
World No. 6 Tsitsipas held his nerve in a deciding tiebreak after failing to serve out the match at 5-3. It is the second title of the year for the Greek who defended his Monte Carlo Masters crown on clay in April.
The Greek Tsitsipas begins his Wimbledon campaign next week against Swiss qualifier Alexander Ritschard.
Kvitova warms up with Eastbourne title
EASTBOURNE: Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova tuned up for the Grand Slam tournament by overpowering Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 6-2 to win the Eastbourne title on Saturday.
The 14th-seeded Kvitova earned her first grass-court title in four years after breaking Ostapenko, the defending champion, early in both sets.
“Playing on the grass is very special for me every time,” the 32-year-old Czech player said. “It’s the best preparation for Wimbledon, as well.”