Rafael Nadal has said that he intends to play Wimbledon this year after receiving treatment for a foot injury.
The 22-time majors champion is on course for a calendar grand slam having already won the Australian and French Opens this year.
A win at Wimbledon would give Rafael Nadal an unprecedented 23 grand slam titles.
Nadal, who turned 36 earlier this month, told a news conference that the pain in his injured foot has eased and he will travel to London on Monday to start his preparation for the tournament
“I’m happy, I haven’t been limping for a week,”.
“I have noticed changes with the treatment, still have strange sensations, sometimes I can’t feel my foot, but the pain that did not allow me to support my weight on my foot has subsided.”
“My intention is to play Wimbledon, but it will all depend on what happens with my body this next week,” Nadal said.
“I’m without pain for a week and have been practicing, so it tells me there may be a chance to play in the tournament.”
Nadal had earlier confirmed that he had played Roland Garros with pain-killing injections prior to each match and did not want to repeat that at other tournaments.
His foot injury had forced him to take five months off in 2021 and returned to cause him trouble in Rome prior to the French Open after he came back in May from a six-week injury break.
The Spaniard has not played on the Wimbledon grass courts since 2019 when he managed to reach the semifinals. The tournament was not held the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic before he missed the 2021 edition due to injury.
He last reached the Wimbledon final 11 years ago, when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic, and has only won the tournament once in 2008.
“I haven’t played on grass for three years and I have to adapt, every day I have been recovering sensations and feeling better. I have a week left before playing and I have to test myself little by little,” Nadal said.
“Advancing in the first rounds is crucial. If you advance, you pick up the pace to reach the end. You have to survive no matter what.”
