‘Tough moments’ – Rafael Nadal lifts lid on recent injury and Covid struggles

Rafael Nadal has lifted the lid on his recent injury woes, admitting it has been a ‘very challenging’ time.

Nadal dominated his Australian Open first round match against Marcos Giron 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 on Monday and he looked like he was moving better than many expected.

The Spaniard was forced to end his season early last year due to the problem, and after the match he explained he had been fighting it a lot longer than most realised.

“Yeah, been very challenging months,” Nadal admitted. “Not only the last six months, obviously have been tough being outside of the competition but since the first lockdown in 2020.

“Everybody knows I have important injury in my foot since the beginning of my career but I was able to manage or or less well but is through that.

“After that two months being at home, when I came back, I been very challenging since that.

“I was able to play at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021, but honestly have been, yeah, very tough moments, of course with a lot of doubt and still doubt.

“But here I am and I can’t be happier, to be back here in Australia in this amazing stadium, it’s just fantastic for me. It means a lot.”

Rafael Nadal was also asked about his recent brush with Covid-19, which he recovered from shortly before traveling to Australia.

“The symptoms haven’t been nice,” he said. “I have been four days in bed and then three more days destroyed physically, you know.

“But after that I started to feel ail little bit better. I had PCR negative after the ninth or tenth day and then I had one or two practices at home and then I game here.”

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