Rafael Nadal returned to the Mutua Madrid Open after yet another injury. The Spanish phenomenon had a sparkling start to the season, proving once again to be an absolute legend of modern sport. In addition to winning the Australian Open against all odds, the former world number 1 won the first 20 games played in 2022.
In doing so, the 35-year-old from Manacor overtook Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the all-time rankings of the Majors. . The Iberian has also become the fourth man in history to have won all Grand Slams at least twice (along with Djokovic, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson).
The Majorcan suffered a stress fracture in a rib during the Indian Wells Masters 1000, a setback that forced him to miss the first rounds on red. Rafa reached the quarterfinals in Madrid, where he surrendered in three sets to a wild Carlos Alcaraz.
Nadal’s goal is to get 100% to Roland Garros, where he will go after his 14th seal. During a recent interview with
‘Heraldo’, Martina Navratilova analyzed the prospects of the 21-time Grand Slam champion.
Navratilova praises Rafa Nadal
“It may be.
Rafael Nadal’s still playing. We don’t know how long it will last because tennis is very demanding, and he has injuries, but he always comes back,” Navratilova said. “With a broken rib, and he’s back. He is Superman; he should go with a cloak.
He seems indestructible,” she added. The World No. 4 will next feature at the Italian Open, where he is a record ten-time champion. He is seeded third in Rome and has been placed in the same half as his arch-rival Novak Djokovic, meaning they could cross swords in the semifinals.
Nadal could open his account against big-serving John Isner in the Italian capital, with Casper Ruud looming large in the last eight. During an interview, the 21-times Grand Slam champion talked about Wimbledon’s decision to exclude players based on nationalities.
He said, “The Russian tennis players in particular are not to blame, the decision is not right”. However, this isn’t the first time that Nadal has criticized Wimbledon’s decision. During last week’s Madrid Open, Nadal, referring to Russian and Belarusian tennis players, said, “It’s not their fault what’s happening in this moment with the war.
I’m sorry for them. Wimbledon just took their decision. … The government didn’t force them to do it. Let’s see what happens in the next weeks, if the players will take some kind of decision in that regard”.
