Rafael Nadal’s miracle season explained by top sports doctor – ‘Can only be done by him’ | Tennis | Sport
Rafael Nadal’s doctor has explained how the Spaniard has been able to win record-breaking 21st and 22nd Grand Slam titles this season despite his injury woes. The world No 4 was sidelined for the last half of 2021 as a result of his injury but won the Australian Open on his return before being sidelined by a rib injury, with his foot bothering him following his comeback. But Nadal continued his miracle season by winning the French Open on Sunday.
Nadal returned from a six-month injury layoff and won 20 straight matches to start the season, picking up titles in Melbourne, Acapulco and a record 21st Major in Australia. After being sidelined by a rib injury and having his chronic foot issue flare up again, he managed to win a 14th French Open, marking the first time in his career he had won the first two Grand Slams of the season.
His doctor has now explained the 36-year-old’s miracle season and admitted that only the world No 4 is capable of making history while, as Nadal put it, “living with an injury.” Speaking to Spain’s El Partidazo de Cope, Dr Angel Ruiz-Cotorro said: “It seems to me a spectacular thing, it would be a miracle for any normal person, but he is able to do it because he really is a different person.”
Speaking about his ability to win in Paris, he continued: “It’s no longer that they numb your foot so you don’t have pain and suddenly you can compete, it’s accepting that challenge and then isolating yourself from all that feeling to later give you the opportunity to play several games with those conditions, also against very high-level rivals.
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