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Rafael Nadal was dealt a massive blow ahead of his pursuit of a 14th French Open title as the Spaniard aggravated a foot injury at the 2022 Italian Open.
Former World No. 1 Mats Wilander, however, feels the injury hasn't necessarily derailed Rafael Nadal's bid for a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title.
In an interview with Marca, Wilander drew comparisons between the 21-time Grand Slam champion and a horse, stating that the Spaniard will do everything in his power to perform at a high level. He added that the Spaniard has learned to come back strongly from injuries.
"No, not at all. Rafa's career is like that. I always compare Rafa to a horse: he will run as fast as he can and fight. Their effort has no limits, their limit is injuries. He will continue until an injury allows him to play anymore. The reality is that he has learned to come back from injuries and always comes back. You always see something different when he's back," Wilander said.
Wilander explained that the Spaniard knows how to preserve his body to give himself the best shot at Roland Garros. However, he was quick to point out that one day, Nadal's body would break down for good.
"One day he will not be able to return. He implied that maybe he wouldn't be able to last year and the results have shown him to be wrong. It is true that he may have felt injured in Rome, but he knows how to preserve his physique to give himself a chance at Roland Garros," the Swede said.
Nadal picked up his foot injury in his loss to Denis Shapovalov in the third round of the Italian Open. The Spaniard won the first set but his injury flared up in the second set and he lost to the Canadian in three sets.
Rafael Nadal's road to an unprecedented 14th French Open title
Rafael Nadal faces a long and uncertain road ahead of the French Open later this month. The former World No. 1 has serious physical issues to deal with and looks to be far from his best.
Nadal will be on the hunt for his 14th French Open title over the next few weeks, but this will be the first time the Spaniard heads to Roland Garros without having reached a final on clay. This excludes the 2020 season, when only the Rome Masters was held before the French Open.
Despite a poor clay season, Rafael Nadal cannot be counted out at his favorite Major given his record in Paris.
Also Check Out :- French Open 2022 Schedule
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
