‘Tennis has become a race against time’: Rafael Nadal looks back on the painful battles of his storied career

Rafael Nadal of Spain (AP photo) NEW DELHI: Rafael Nadal has opened up about the tough physical challenges he endured during his storied tennis career, revealing how constant pain and difficult health decisions became part of his journey to greatness.In an interview with the BBC, the 39-year-old admitted that his pursuit of success often pushed him physically to the edge. “I had to make a decision about my health, where are you on the line between right and wrong,” Nadal said. “But if I didn’t explore all that, I probably would have 10 less Grand Slams…That’s the reality.Nadal was diagnosed with the rare Muller-Weiss syndrome in his leg in 2005, just months before he won his first French Open title at the age of 19. This condition, combined with the intense physical demands of professional tennis, constantly threatened his career.Despite the diagnosis, Nadal refused to give up. Over the next few years, he built one of the greatest careers in tennis history, winning multiple Grand Slam titles and dominating the clay courts like no player before him.But behind the trophies and celebrations, Nadal admitted he was constantly worried about how long his body would last.“Tennis has become a race against time,” Nadal. “I always doubt how long I can last with that leg? I never knew how long my career would last.”“I always thought, maybe this is the last year, so it’s not time to stop.The physical toll eventually led to serious knee problems and intestinal problems caused by long-term use of painkillers. Nadal also revealed that he required anesthetic injections during some tournaments just to compete.He admitted that he played with almost no feeling in his leg during his Grand Slam final triumph at the 2022 French Open.Still, Nadal says his love of tennis kept him going through the pain. “The key was that the suffering was less than my passion and my happiness in what I was doing,” he explained.