Rafael Nadal is one of the most successful tennis players in the history of the sport – but he could have been forced to retire at 19 years old due to a foot issue
Rafael Nadal has opened up about the career-threatening moment when he was warned his tennis days might be over, following a diagnosis of a serious foot condition. Despite being advised to retire at just 19 years old, the tennis icon went on to defy the odds, amassing an incredible 22 Grand Slam titles over two decades.
Nadal reflected on his illustrious career during a talk at the UAX Rafa Nadal School of Sport in Madrid. He shared how close he came to ending his journey in 2005 due to Muller-Weiss Syndrome, which led to a fracture in his scaphoid bone.
The 38-year-old recounted that “several doctors” had written off his chances of returning to the court, potentially robbing him of his future triumphs.
However, Nadal and his team didn’t accept defeat. The Spaniard revealed: “There was no way out; several doctors told me I wouldn’t play again.
“I was 19… but eventually, a solution was found. Shifting the support point with a seven millimetre insole and special shoe worked… It fixed the foot, but everything else got messed up and disorganised my whole body.”
Thanks to a clever workaround, Nadal forged an extraordinary tennis career, sharing the court with legends like Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and the all-time Grand Slam leader, Novak Djokovic.
During his remarkable 23-year tenure on the court, Nadal won 92 ATP Tour singles titles, including 22 Grand Slams.
He’s the undisputed king of the French Open with 14 wins and is part of the elite trio who’ve achieved the career Gold Slam in singles.
Nadal’s trophy cabinet boasts two Australian Opens, a record 14 Roland Garros trophies, two Wimbledon victories, and four US Open titles.
He enjoyed 209 weeks at the pinnacle of men’s tennis as the world number one and seized Olympic gold in Beijing 2008.
As for stepping away from the sport last year, Nadal has embraced the tranquillity that retirement brings.
He added: “When you retire, the body takes a break, but I already feel more centred. Retirement hasn’t affected me badly; I’ve tolerated it well.”
