“Drugs can improve athlete’s performance” French cyclist Guillaume Martin discusses Rafael Nadal’s use of ‘substances’ to play and win the 2022 Roland Garros
Follow Us
Guillaume Martin and Rafael Nadal
World No. 4 Rafael Nadal scripted history at the 2022 French Open when he won the Grand Slam for the 14th time, extending his lead by 8 titles to second most successful champion Bjorn Borg who won 6 titles in Paris. The title in Paris was also Nadal’s 22nd career Grand Slam title, giving him a 2-major title cushion against arch-rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic who are both tied in the second place with 20 Grand Slams in the race for most majors won.
While Nadal winning the Roland Garros isn’t a big surprise, the conditions in which he did this year was commendable. The Spaniard had missed the start of the clay season and for the first time in 18 years, he had reached the Grand Slam without a clay title to his name as he played only two tournaments prior to the French Open. He had limped off during his 3rd round defeat at the 2022 Rome Masters, 2-weeks prior to the French Open and there was a serious question about whether he could play at the Grand Slam this year.
Also Read: WATCH: Rafael Nadal in crutches due to his foot treatment days after winning the French Open
“We would be accused of doping”: Guillaume Martin on contrasting situations of Rafael Nadal and Cyclists
Upon winning the tournament, Nadal revealed that he had been taking injections on his foot ever since his second-round win over Corentin Moutet having kept his doctor along with him throughout the Grand Slam. The injections helped Nadal with the pain as the foot was made numb and the player could focus on the match, a practice he followed throughout the tournament on his way to the title.
“What Nadal did is impossible for cyclists and that is normal for me. We, if we are injured or sick, cannot run, ride a bike, or compete. This is normal for several reasons. First because of the athlete’s health. I don’t know how good it is in the long run that Nadal works for his wrist. On the other hand, drugs can affect an athlete’s performance, that is, they can improve him.
“That is why it seems to me that this was over at the border. Be careful, if some cyclist did that, even if it wasn’t forbidden, everyone would accuse him of doping. The problem is the prejudices that go with our sport. People admire Nadal because he suffered severe pain. I think that Zlatan Ibrahimović said something similar about the injections he received in the knee.
“That is why they are called heroes because they suffer pain, but it is true that they use various substances to suffer pain and, I repeat, reach the very limits. The winner of the tour, even if he does not do anything suspicious, will be accused of doping,” commented French cyclist Guillaume Martin as reported by Serbian media outlet Kurir.
Follow our page FirstSportz Tennis for the latest updates
Stay Updated!
Sarthak Shitole
(3462 Articles Published)