With the Stuttgart Open in full swing, Stefanos Tsitsipas reflected back on Rafael Nadal's injury at this season's Roland Garros, explaining the similarities he once went through.
After claiming his 14th Roland Garros title at the 2022 edition, Nadal admitted to having to resort to injections to numb his foot so that he could play pain-free.
It is staggering to think that one could win a Grand Slam singles title while nursing an injury so bad that he needed to resort to injections to mask the pain. But this is something that is far from foreign to some other professionals on tour.
Tsitsipas explained how he, too, had to resort to injections to numb the excessive pain that he was in much earlier on in his career, which may come as a surprise to some.
"I also have a little story where I thought I couldn't play a game because I was in too much pain. But not to the extent that is the case with Rafa, of course. I had a similar situation once at the ATP Finals."
"I think it was my second group game and I had extreme pain in my leg. Then I got an injection and played one of the best games of my life."
To the Greek's own admission, Nadal's achievement was arguably more impressive - winning seven straight best-of-five sets matches to claim his 14th Roland Garros title, but the sentiment remains the same.
Many players have to numb pain in order to play, but it is only on very rare occasions that they have to resort to injections in order to remedy an injury well enough for them to play pain-free.
As medical advancements continue improving in the world of sport, this opens up the possibility of better and more honed treatment in the future.