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Rafael Nadal - Roland Garros 2022

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Rafael Nadal reveals that he has ‘been nervous before every match’

Matthew Johns
Matthew Johns
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Rafael Nadal has admitted that he nearly took ‘a complete break’ from tennis a few years ago, after detailing some of the physical and mental struggles that he has faced.Nadal officially retired from the sport last month, after losing his final singles match at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga to Botic van de Zandschulp.
Despite losing the final match of his career, the Spaniard has enjoyed much success over his career, winning 22 Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals and spending 209 weeks as World No.1. However, it has not been all plain-sailing for Nadal, who has struggled with a variety of different injuries that have ultimately only enabled him to play 22 singles matches in the past two years. And now Nadal has now reflected on those struggles when speaking to The Players’ Tribune, “I went through a very difficult moment mentally a few years ago. Physical pain I was very used to, but there were times on the court when I had trouble controlling my breathing, and I couldn’t play at the highest level. “I don’t have trouble saying it now.  After all, we are human beings, not superheroes. The person you see at centre court with a trophy is a person. Exhausted, relieved, happy, thankful – but just a person.” He added, “Thankfully, I didn’t get to the point of not being able to control things like anxiety, but there are moments with every player when it is difficult to control your mind. When that happens it is difficult to have total control of your game.” The Mallorcan even revealed that there was a moment when he considered taking a break from the sport a few years ago, “There were months when I thought about taking a complete break from tennis to cleanse my mind. In the end, I worked on it every day to get better. “I conquered it by always moving forward and I slowly became myself again. The thing that I’m most proud of is that I may have struggled, but I never quit. I always gave the maximum.”Nadal began his professional career back in 2001, playing over 1300 singles matches on the biggest courts at the biggest events. Despite his vast experience of being on the big stage, Nadal has admitted that he always felt nervous before every match that he played. “Honestly, I have been nervous before every match I have ever played — it never leaves you,” said Nadal. “Every night before a match, I went to bed feeling that I could lose, and also when I woke up in the morning!” The 38-year-old continued, “In tennis, the difference between players is very thin, and between rivals even more. When you go out there on the court, anything can happen, so all your senses must be awake, alive. That feeling, the inner fire and the nerves, the adrenaline of walking out and seeing a full court, it is a sensation that is very difficult to describe. “It is a sensation that only a few can understand, and something that I am sure will never be the same now that I am retiring as a professional. There still will be those moments playing exhibitions and maybe other sports, too. I will always compete and try to give the best I can, but it won’t be the same feeling as walking out in front of the fans at any given stadium.”
Inside the baseline…Rafael Nadal has had a career that almost makes him seem superhuman, particularly considering some of his incredible feats over the years including winning a record 14 Roland Garros titles. To hear Nadal speak so openly about the struggles that he has faced, both physically and mentally over the years, makes you realise that he is human like the rest of us and that is very commendable.
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