Rafael Nadal has not decided whether to play at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, but he's close to making a decision.
The legendary remains a major doubt to appear at the All England Club later this month. In the aftermath of his 14th Roland Garros triumph, he revealed that he had to take injections to play the clay-court Grand Slam. He was unable to play through the pain barrier.
It was reported after the French Open that he withdrew from Wimbledon, but that appears not to be true. Nadal has been spotted practicing on the grass in Mallorca, and he's been upbeat about playing in SW19, where he will target a third title and a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam.
After departing from Paris, Nadal underwent a procedure in Barcelona to address a longstanding foot injury. The 36-year-old revealed how serious it was and how it impacted his schedule.
"It’s going to be a radiofrequency injection on the nerve to try to burn the nerve a little bit and create the impact that I have now on the nerve for a long period of time. If that works, I’m going to keep going. If not then it’s going to be another story."
Nadal's last match at Wimbledon was in 2019 when he lost to eight-time champion Roger Federer in a thrilling four-set semifinal. The 2020 edition of the tournament was canceled, and he skipped the 2021 event over concerns regarding his body.
According to the Cadena SER sports programme, Nadal should decide on his participation or absence at Wimbledon this week. However, the chances of him playing on grass are very high, although the Spaniard remains cautious about his health.
"The sensations are positive but we have to see how it evolves with the workload. If the answer is positive during the week, he will decide whether to take the step and participate in Wimbledon. There is optimism, but with caution to see the evolution."