Coach Francisco Roig doesn’t really think that Rafael Nadal wants to retire. Nadal, who turns on Friday, has been bothered by a chronic foot pain since 2005. Last year, the injury forced him to skip almost the entire second part of the 2021 season.
Nadal made a stunning comeback to tennis at the start of this season but has started experiencing problems with his foot again. “Well, I’d say he’s trying to play Roland Garros and then we’ll see. Not talking about retirement but trying to find something for this foot so that it can be better.
Not healed, but search for something so that he can play with less pain,” Roig said.
Francis Roig: “Well, I’d say he’s trying to play Roland Garros and then we’ll see. Not talking about retirement but trying to find something for this foot so that it can be better.
Not healed, but search for something so that he can play with less pain.” https://t.co/KwYRnDHq6A — Genny SS (@genny_ss) June 1, 2022
Nadal indicated he might be playing his final French Open
Following a French Open quarterfinal victory over Novak Djokovic, Nadal said his return to Roland Garros in 2023 is not guaranteed.
“I’m very clear on the fact that I don’t know what can happen (and it can be (his) last Roland). You know what I have with my foot and if we don’t find solutions, it will be difficult. For the moment we haven’t so I give myself a chance,” Nadal said, per Tennis Majors.
Nadal had a rough and challenging preparation for the French Open. After missing Monte Carlo and Barcelona because of a rib stress fracture, he was hampered by a foot pain in Madrid and Rome. Following a shock round-of-16 exit in Rome, Nadal made the call to bring his doctor to Paris.
“At Rome I didn’t have my doctor with me. Here, I have him, you can do things. I’m doing everything that I can to play this tournament the best conditions possible. After that, I don’t know how it will be to be honest, but here I’ll be fine,” Nadal noted. Nadal plays Alexander Zverev in the French Open semifinal as he is aiming to win a record 14th title at Roland Garros.
