Rafa Nadal shrugs off injury problems ahead of French Open
World No 5 aims to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title in Paris
17 May 2022 - 16:11
byShrivathsa Sridhar
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Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts in his 3rd round match against Denis Shapovalov of Canada on day five of Internazionali BNL D'Italia at Foro Italico on May 12 2022 in Rome, Italy. Picture: GETTY IMAGES/JULIAN FINNEY
Rafa Nadal has moved to ease concerns about his injury problems ahead of the French Open, posting a picture of himself training in full flow at his academy in Mallorca with the caption: “See you on Wednesday, Paris.”
The 13-time Roland Garros champion said last week that daily training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Paris after a chronic foot injury flared up during his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open.
Nadal, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in the ribs, struggled towards the end of his match against the Canadian as he went down 1-6 7-5 6-2 in the last-16.
But the world No 5 looks poised to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title at his favourite hunting ground, having won his 21st Major at the Australian Open earlier in 2022. That victory followed a difficult 2021 during which he missed Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and the US Open.
Nadal will be trying to reclaim the title in Paris after he suffered a semifinal defeat last year against Novak Djokovic, only his third career loss at Roland Garros.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Rafa Nadal shrugs off injury problems ahead of French Open
World No 5 aims to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title in Paris
Rafa Nadal has moved to ease concerns about his injury problems ahead of the French Open, posting a picture of himself training in full flow at his academy in Mallorca with the caption: “See you on Wednesday, Paris.”
The 13-time Roland Garros champion said last week that daily training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Paris after a chronic foot injury flared up during his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open.
Nadal, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in the ribs, struggled towards the end of his match against the Canadian as he went down 1-6 7-5 6-2 in the last-16.
But the world No 5 looks poised to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title at his favourite hunting ground, having won his 21st Major at the Australian Open earlier in 2022. That victory followed a difficult 2021 during which he missed Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and the US Open.
Nadal will be trying to reclaim the title in Paris after he suffered a semifinal defeat last year against Novak Djokovic, only his third career loss at Roland Garros.
Reuters
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