Rafael Nadal struck: 'Had trouble breathing'
Rafael Nadal (ATP No. 3) suffered his first defeat of the season in the Indian Wells final against Taylor Fritz. Nadal was ailing - he hopes to solve the problem as soon as possible.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Mar 21, 2022, 01:11 pm
It was the final of two injured players - Taylor Fritz had ankles and almost didn't go to the final. And Rafael Nadal had his back, played visibly inhibited on serve and backhand. And still had the great opportunity to extend his formidable start to the season to 21 wins in a row. Especially at 5: 4 in the tie-break of the second set, he had a great chance to equalize the set, with two serves - but Nadal smashed a drive volley into the prairie after a wonderfully played point.
The match ended shortly thereafter, to the delight of inaugural Masters winner Taylor Fritz .
Nadal then pondered what was preventing him from swinging freely - "I don't know yet if it's something in the ribs," he said, but explained that he was in pain, having trouble breathing. "When I breathe, when I move, it feels like there's a needle stuck in me. I was a little dizzy because it hurt a lot." The pain would have limited him, "but it's not just about the pain, I just don't feel good when something is affecting my breathing."
He quickly accepted the defeat itself, "even before the match was over," said Nadal. The concerns are apparently about the injury.
Rafael Nadal very pragmatic: "Solve this problem"
Even though he wasn't able to do the 'usual things', Nadal didn't want to talk too much about his injury. "I lost to a great player," said the Spaniard, who announced earlier this week that he would not be attending the upcoming Miami Open.
Nadal admitted to having "a difficult day" due to the injury - but once again made it clear that he is not a person who mentally swings too much in one direction or the other. "I put everything in perspective," he explained. The past few months have been "insane, unforgettable, very emotional," "I've enjoyed things that I didn't think I'd be able to experience again a few months ago."
But now: It's about his injury, about "solving this problem as soon as possible to be able to start on the beloved sand."
The Monte-Carlo Masters, which Nadal has already won 11 times, begins on April 10. The 35-year-old would also start his clay court season here in 2022 if his back were healthy again.