Rafael Nadal is a true fighter, which he showed in his third-round match against David Goffin at the 2022 Madrid Open, but he didn't fight only against his opponent.
Every great player, including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, has experienced an injury. That is no different for Nadal, who came back from a rib injury that he picked up in Indian Wells this year.
However, the Spaniard's career has also been influenced by a chronic injury, which he spoke about a few times before but confirmed again during the 2022 Madrid Open.
The Spanish player bested David Goffin in a three-hour epic, and following the victory over the Belgian player, he opened up about his day-to-day life. Surprisingly, Nadal admitted that he often limps in his everyday life due to the chronic injury.
"If you saw me on a daily basis, you would not be worried because I limp on many days of my life. I always have pain in my foot, especially after playing a three-hour match or a long training. So it's normal that now I am walking a little badly."
Unfortunately, it's something that the 21-time Grand Slam champion had to get used to, and he did. He know sees it as a part of his life, but was unhappy to stay on the court for so long.
"But I have a chronic foot injury which has no treatment. That's part of my life, and that's the downside of not being able to finish the match earlier."
At the same time, he also found a positive side of having to stay on the court for so long, as it allowed his foot to get used to the difficulty of the competition once again, which he needed after a break from the sport.
"In a way, it's good that I play long matches because after a long break, my foot needs to get used to the physical toughness of the competition again. But I am also conscious for tomorrow, because I can wake up with more problems and we have to accept it and face it."