THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER
Uncle backs Rafa to continue battling through pain barrier and prolong career
RAFA NADAL’S uncle believes the Spanish superstar will keep playing tennis “because fighting until the end is in his DNA”.
And Toni Nadal revealed the new French Open champion nearly skipped the event in 2020 because the pain in his foot was so severe.
Rafa posed with the Coupe de Mousquetaires for the 14th time in central Paris yesterday.
But his next stop will be Barcelona for nerve treatment on his chronic foot injury which will decide whether he will travel to Wimbledon and beyond.
The world No.4 revealed he won his 22nd Grand Slam with the help of painkilling injections but insisted he could not “continue like this” and he’d seek a longer-term solution.
If the radio frequency ablation treatment fails, he could be faced with career-threatening surgery.
Australian Open winner Nadal sounded much like Andy Murray in 2019 before his second hip surgery.
And his former coach Toni said: “That fighting until the end is in his DNA, especially when you see that he is winning two Grand Slams this year.
“You know you’re at a great level and you want to keep fighting.
“Rafael has been living with pain since 2005. I remember after a loss in Monte Carlo in 2020, he told me he was not playing at Roland Garros. He told me he was tired of the pain.
“But the reality is that he continues and tries again. That is the sporting greatness of my nephew. I have seen him suffer many times.
“I know that there comes a time when the body can not give anymore, I trust that this moment has not come and I can see him several more times.”
Like a fine Rioja, 36-year-old Nadal is getting better with age.
Since the start of 2017, he has won eight Slams while Novak Djokovic has claimed seven and Roger Federer three to lead the GOAT race by two.
And Mats Wilander said: “I find his tennis now more fun to watch than Roger or Novak. It is like watching Federer when he was at the top of his game.”
Toni added: “What is incredible is that my nephew, with a car which is not working properly, is still winning. It shows that he is the best driver there is.” Next up on the Grand Slam calendar is of course a trip to SW19, and if fit enough the Spanish star has confirmed he will be there competing.
Following his Roland Garros win, Nadal said: “I am going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss.”
As well as injury issues, there were also added question marks over his participation at Wimbledon due to the historic event being stripped of its ranking points after it banned Russian and Belarusian players from competing.
The absence of ranking points will no doubt leave many ATP and WTA stars contemplating their decision to play on the famous grass later this month.
Nadal though has reiterated his intentions to compete regardless, if the body allows it. He continued: “Wimbledon is always a priority. If I’m able to play with antiinflammatories, yes.
“To play with anaesthetic injections, I do not want to put myself in that position again.
“It can happen once but no, it’s not the philosophy of life I want to follow. Let’s see. I am always a positive guy and always expect things are going the right way.
“Let’s be confident, let’s be positive and let’s see what’s going on.”
Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu admits she has stopped being so hard on herself – because so many others are queuing up to do just that.
The 19-year-old world No.12 insists she is still hungry for success despite a tail-off in results since last year’s sensational US Open triumph.
Speaking ahead of the Nottingham Open, where she plays Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic in the first round today, Raducanu said: “I am proud of what I have achieved over the last 12 months.
“I am not being so hard on myself – I feel there are enough people who can do that job for me. I know what I’m doing. I’m trusting what I’m doing.”
If Raducanu wins today she could face fellow Brit Heather Watson. But the 30-year-old may withdraw after suffering a hamstring injury in her first-round clash with American Katie Volynets, who she beat 6-4 6-2.
British men’s No.2 Dan Evans – the Nottingham tournament’s top seed – booked his place in the second round with a 7-5 7-6 win over France’s Enzo Couacaud.