Rafael Nadal admitted his success so far this year has been a surprise considering the injury problems he has had to contend with.
The Spaniard missed the final few months of the 2021 season with a foot injury and arrived in Australia at the start of the year with real question marks over his fitness.
Those were swiftly put to bed as Nadal went on a 20-match winning run, going all the way in the Australian Open before lifting the title in Mexico without dropping a set.
Nadal’s momentum was halted by a rib injury that kept him out ahead of the clay-court season but he was victorious at Roland Garros for the 14th time to take his Grand Slam tally to 22, two clear of Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Only Rod Laver in the Open-era has won the men’s singles title at tennis’ four biggest tournaments in the same year - Djokovic was three sets away from doing so in 2021 but he fell at the final hurdle after losing to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.
Regardless of what happens at Wimbledon, and potentially then in New York, Nadal has shocked himself with the results he has beeen able to achieve.
“Last six months of 2021 haven’t been easy,” Nadal said in his pre-tournament press conference at SW19.
“Even 2022, if I am able to have an amazing start of the season, hasn’t been easy at all, too, because I had a stress fracture on the rib, then my foot when I come back have been, yeah, I will never say a drama because drama are other things on life. Without a doubt, we are only playing tennis.
“But in terms of daily suffering it’s been tough in terms of every day going on court without knowing if I’m going to be able to finish the practice the proper way or even finish the match the proper way. That’s tough to accept.
“[It has] been an amazing, positive six months in terms of tennis results. Yeah, I enjoy it because it’s been unexpected.”
Nadal’s first-round match against Francisco Cerundolo will be his first Wimbledon match for three years, and two exhibitions matches at the Hurlingham Club are the extent of the Spaniard’s match practice heading into the tournament.
The 36-year-old has undergone nerve treatment on his chronic foot problem since the French Open, a process that has brought welcome results.
“So quite happy about the things, how it’s evolved,” Nadal said.
“I can’t be super happy because I don’t know what can happen. But I only can speak about the feelings that I am having the last two weeks.
“There is a couple of things that are so important for me. First of all, I can walk normal most of the days, almost every single day. That’s for me the main issue. When I wake up, I don’t have this pain that I was having for the last year and a half, so quite happy about that.
“And second thing, practicing. I have been overall better, honestly. Since the last two weeks, I didn’t have one day of these terrible days that I can’t move at all.”
