By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday June 11, 2022
Will Rafael Nadal or won’t Rafael Nadal play Wimbledon in 2022?
Most believed that the Spaniard will likely miss the Championships, after he underwent a procedure to remove pain in his left foot earlier this week. But Nadal’s Uncle Toni says that Rafael is feeling confident and is ready to begin practicing on the grass next week.
“When we talked yesterday, he said it’s going much better. He wants to train,” Nadal’s Uncle said, according to AFP. “If he has a small chance, he will play at Wimbledon.”
After a fortnight of silence about the severity of his foot injury, Nadal gave reporters all the details of the effort he made to mitigate pain during his run to a 14th Roland-Garros title.
“I have been playing with injections on the nerves to [numb] the foot, and that’s why I was able to play during these two weeks, no, because I have no feelings on my foot, because my doctor was able to put anesthetic injections on the nerves,” Nadal said. “That takes out the feeling on my foot.”
Toni Nadal said on Saturday that his nephew Rafael looks on track to play at Wimbledon, where the first round begins on June 27, as treatment continues on the world number four’s foot problem https://t.co/nLkoRtSgmd #AFPSports pic.twitter.com/HEBYE30snR
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 11, 2022
Nadal added that he would undergo the procedure called radiofrequency ablation, a procedure which uses heat to destroy nerve tissue, to help prolong his career. If it would take hold and be effective in time for the 22-time major champion to begin training for Wimbledon, Nadal assured reporters that he would be there when the Championships start on June 27.
“I’m going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon,” he said. “That’s it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody want to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon.
“I had a lot of success there. I live amazing emotions there. So full credit and respect to the tournament. A player like me, I am always ready to play Wimbledon.”
Nadal’s Uncle told reporters that the Spaniard plans to begin training on the grass in Mallorca next week.
“He is planning to train on the sidelines of the Mallorca Open from Monday,” Toni revealed.