Paris (dpa)
Veteran Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal said he would not rule out participating in the English Open, Wimbledon, later this month.
Nadal crowned his fourteenth title in the men’s singles competitions at the French Open “Roland Garros”, the second of the four Grand Slam tournaments this season, to enhance his record as the most player to win the title.
“I’d be at Wimbledon if my body was ready to be there. It’s a competition I don’t want to miss,” said Nadal, who also cemented his record for the most titles in the Whites’ four Grand Slam titles, with 22 titles.
Nadal’s participation in the grasscourt tournament will depend on the possibility of recovering from the chronic injury he suffers from in his foot.
Nadal explained that he played the Roland Garros final against Norway’s Casper Ruud with a drugged foot, after he underwent a series of injections throughout the tournament, although he revealed that he was not willing to undergo a similar procedure again.
Nadal emphasized that participation in Wimbledon is a priority for me, it has always been a priority. If you are able to play with anti-inflammatories, yes. As for playing with anesthetic injections, I don’t want to put myself in this position again. It can happen once but it is not the life philosophy I want to follow.
A few months before winning this year’s Australian Open, Nadal was considering retiring after a problem with his foot resurfaced during his career.
The Spanish star missed most of the 2021 season, including the Tokyo Olympics, but he was positive about a possible trip to London to participate in Wimbledon, which begins on June 27.
“I’m always a positive guy and I always expect things to go in the right direction,” Nadal stressed.