Rafael Nadal after first operation on crutches - what happens next is a "million dollar question"
Rafael Nadal (ATP No. 4) has had the first treatment on his injured left foot. In the meantime he has landed back in Mallorca.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jun 08, 2022, 09:57 am
Rafael Nadal is not one to put things off for long. On Sunday he played great tennis again at the French Open, winning his 14th title here - and his 22nd Grand Slam tournament success overall. On Monday he posed in his usual winning style with the trophy within sight of the Eiffel Tower, albeit with a much more serious expression than usual.
And on Tuesday evening: the first video of Nadal appeared on arrival in Mallorca. If the information can be trusted, he had already had his first foot treatment here in Barcelona. Nadal walked in on crutches, of course friendly as always, even autographs were still there for his receptionist.
And now? That is actually the big question. Nadal had declared in Paris that he wanted to continue working on his foot problem. He has always suffered from Müller-Weiss syndrome and has been struggling with it since 2005. In the hereditary disease, bone tissue of the scaphoid dies on the foot, Nadal had been able to alleviate the problems for years with special insoles, but recently had to struggle with them.
In Paris, in addition to anti-inflammatory drugs, he also had anesthetic injections placed in the nerve to suppress the pain. According to Nadal, this is not a permanent condition, just a decision to play in Roland Garros. The risk of spraining due to a lack of feeling in the foot is great.
Roig: 'Million dollar question' how long Nadal can play
So now the experiment with a radio frequency treatment, a heated needle is supposed to interrupt the electrical conductivity of the nerves and thus suppress the pain. They say it takes two to three treatments. This method would also result in less sensitivity in the foot. If the treatment works, nothing would stand in the way of extending Nadal's tennis career. Otherwise, a major operation would be an issue - career continuation then: uncertain.
Nadal's co-coach Francisco Roig was optimistic in an interview with antena3.com . If everything goes well, a Wimbledon start would even be possible. "Before that, he would test himself in two show fights," said the ex-professional. And if it doesn't work? Then not even his team knows what will happen this year. "That's the million dollar question."