My passion for tennis was more than the suffering — Nadal

By Adegboyega Adeleye

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has reflected on the injury battles and physical pain that defined much of his career, admitting that his passion for the sport always outweighed the suffering he endured on and off the court.

Speaking in a new Netflix documentary, as reported by the BBC, the 22-time Grand Slam champion revealed he spent most of his career battling chronic injuries, while repeatedly pushing his body beyond its limits to remain competitive at the highest level.

According to Nadal, his passion for tennis always outweighed the suffering caused by years of physical pain.

“The key was the suffering was less than my passion and my happiness for what I was doing,” Nadal said.

The Spaniard admitted that several decisions he made regarding his health placed him “on the borderline between right or wrong,” but insisted those sacrifices were part of what allowed him to become one of tennis’ most successful players.

“But if I hadn’t explored all that, I probably would have had 10 fewer Grand Slams. I’m not saying one or two, I’m saying 10 or 12. This is the reality,” he stated.

Nadal’s injury struggles began shortly after his breakthrough 2005 season when he won the French Open at just 19 years old. Following a foot injury suffered during the Madrid Open final that year, he was diagnosed with Mueller-Weiss syndrome, a rare degenerative condition affecting the bones in the foot.

Describing the injury as “the origin of all my problems,” Nadal explained that he constantly searched for ways to continue playing despite the pain.

“I had to stay over-positive, over-determined, always ready to try to find a solution to keep being competitive and find a way to be on court again,” he said.

To manage the condition, Nadal relied on specially designed insoles throughout much of his career. However, the adjustments reportedly created further complications in other parts of his body, particularly his knees.

“My knee was destroyed. The tendon basically had a hole in it,” Nadal recalled while discussing the injuries that forced him out of the 2012 Olympics and the US Open.

The former world number one also revealed that years of taking anti-inflammatory medication eventually caused additional health issues.

“I have two small perforations in my intestines — small perforations that can come from too many painkillers,” he said.

One of the most dramatic moments of his career came during the 2022 French Open, when Nadal reportedly received targeted anaesthetic injections to numb the nerves in his foot before matches. Despite barely feeling his foot, he went on to win a record-extending 14th Roland Garros title.

Beyond the physical pain, Nadal also opened up on the mental pressure of life at the top level of tennis. He admitted he eventually sought psychiatric help after developing anxiety-related compulsive behaviours.

“If I didn’t have a bottle of water in my hand, I couldn’t swallow and I would choke on my own saliva,” he explained.

“I knew it was anxiety, but I couldn’t find a solution.”

Nadal retired from professional tennis in 2024 after winning 22 Grand Slam singles titles and establishing himself as one of the defining figures of the era alongside Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.

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