“The rib is very disabling and painful,” Rafael Nadal reveals horrific details about his injury ahead of the French Open 2022
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Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal is making a comeback at the ATP Mutua Madrid Open, with his first match slated for May 3rd. The 35-year-most old’s recent appearance was at the Indian Wells Masters 2022, where he was defeated by Taylor Fritz in the final. He has already won three titles this year, including the ATP Summerset, the Mexican Open, where he defeated Cameron Norrie, and the Australian Open where he defeated World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev to win his 21st Grand Slam.
“I am well in time”- Rafael Nadal
“Glad to be here. I hadn’t been able to come for a long time. Very grateful to the president and the club for this tribute,” Rafael Nadal said and addressed how his recovery is going. He hasn’t played since losing in the final of the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells on March 20 owing to a rib fracture suffered against Alcaraz the day before. Rest and a gradual reintegration have followed since then.
“I come here with great enthusiasm, but very fair, the truth,” said the world number four, who will compete in the tournament in the capital for the 19th time next week, with Alcaraz and Djokovic. “I have trained very little because the rib is very disabling and also very painful; I had two very bad weeks and then it was very, very disabling. I have not been able to do practically anything, but it is here, at home, in Madrid …”, continued the 35-year-old.
The tennis player’s personal doctor, Angel Ruiz-Cotorro, estimated four to six weeks of recovery when he was injured in California, and the deadlines had been met. Nadal is currently in Madrid and, if everything goes well, will fly to Rome (from May 8 to 15) to polish his game in an attempt to win his 22nd grand slam title at Roland Garros (from May 22 to June 5).
“I have three weeks,” he recalled. “So I hope that the daily training will help me to get ready. Here [in Madrid, at 657 meters of altitude, a circumstance that complicates the control of the ball] the demand is maximum, but we are going to do what we can,” he continued. “The most important thing is to be healthy, but I think that in the face of Paris I am well in time. Three weeks are enough to be competitive,” concluded Nadal.
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