World number five Rafael Nadal has opened up about his injury troubles stating that despite “always having pain”, the Spaniard is “feeling better” as he looks to win a record-extending 14th French Open title.

Rafael Nadal has faced a spate of injuries this season, most notably his cracked rib sustained at the Indian Wells Masters in March which forced him to miss the majority of the European clay court swing.

Earlier this month, the 35-year-old Rafael Nadal suffered yet another injury set back. During his loss to Canada’s Denis Shapovalov in three sets at the Madrid Open, the 21-time Grand Slam winner admitted afterwards that he is “living” with a persistent foot injury – the same injury which kept him out at the end of the 2021 season.

It was Nadal’s earliest exit in Rome since 2008, and it raised questions about his fitness ahead of the French Open, which starts on May 22.

However, Nadal has now put the fitness concerns to rest as he said he is “feeling better”, despite having to deal with the pain of the injury “everyday.” and that he would not be at the Paris Slam if we wasn’t able to compete.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion told reporters in a recent interview, “What happened in Rome is something that happened very often in my practices.

“But yeah I was suffering after that for a couple of days, but I feel better. That’s why I’m here. But what happened there I think everybody knows, and I talked after the match very open about what’s going on. But at the same time I said is something that can be better in the near future. And I hope that’s the case here.

“The pain is always there. It’s not going to disappear now. It’s about if the pain is high and strong enough to allow me to play with real chances or not.

“I answered of course the questions, and I will answer the questions, but I will not be talking all the time about my foot even if I understand that it’s something that’s normal, because after what happened in Rome. But in my case, is something that I live every day with that, so is nothing new for me and is not a big surprise.

“So I am here just to play tennis and to try to make the best result possible here in Roland-Garros. And if I don’t believe that this thing can happen, probably I will not be here.

“So I am just working as much as I can, and practicing as good as possible. My real goal is just put me in a position that I am healthy and playing enough good tennis to give myself good chances.”

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