Nadal and the crucial talk with his father in 2005: “There are other things in life outside of tennis”

Known is the resilience capacity of the Spanish Rafael Nadalwho built one of the most prolific careers in the history of tennis based on blood, sweat and tears, in addition to his undeniable talent, recovering from a stormy injury that accompanied him for almost two decades.

“Pain is one of the great teachers of life. “I was injured when I was 17 and they told me I would probably never play professional tennis again,” confessed the former world number 1, in an emotional letter written on The Players Tribune site, which also referred to his best moments on the circuit, the secret of his resounding success, and the advice he received from his uncle and coach Toni Nadal.

In tune, the 92-time champion in the Tour22 in Grand Slam tournaments, revealed: “I learned that things can end in an instant. It wasn’t just a small fracture in my foot, it was a disease. “A disease without a cure, it could only be managed.”

“Mueller-Weiss syndrome. What does that mean? You go from the greatest joy to waking up the next day without being able to walk. I spent many days at home crying, but it was very humbling. I was lucky to have a father“, the true influence that I have had in my life, which was always very positive,” said the double medalist in the Olympic Games, in reference to the symptom that began at the 2005 Madrid Masters 1000 and forced him to infiltrate himself on more than one occasion. .

“‘We will find a solution,’ he said. ‘And if we don’t find it, there are other things in life outside of tennis.’ Hearing those words I almost couldn’t process them.but thank God, after a lot of pain, surgeries, rehabilitation and tears, a solution was found and during all these years I was able to continue fighting through it,” concluded the absolute owner of Roland Garros, who managed to recover from such news to sit at big white sport table.