New York — NEW YORK (AP) — Rafael Nadal considered quitting tennis a few years ago and taking a break for his mental health, but “overcame it by always moving forward” and “slowly became myself again,” according to an essay posted by the 22-time Grand Slam champion. I wrote it. He played online on Tuesday, less than a month after the final game of his career.
“I was used to the physical pain, but there were times when I couldn’t play at my best because I had trouble controlling my breathing on the court. I have no difficulty speaking now. At the end of the day, we are humans, not superheroes,” Nadal told The Player’s Tribune.
“Luckily things like anxiety haven’t gotten out of hand, but every player has moments when it’s difficult to control their mind and when they do, there are moments when it’s difficult to completely control the game. “There were months where I thought I wanted to take a complete break from tennis to clear my mind,” he says. “I ended up working every day to get better.”
Nadal, 38, was facing retirement after playing for Spain in the Davis Cup in November, where injury problems limited him for two seasons.
In the essay, he wrote about chronic pain in his left foot that first appeared when he was 17, and said he was told at the time that he would “probably never play professional tennis again.”
“I spent a few days at home crying, but it was a great lesson in humility. I was lucky to have a father who was a real influence in my life,” Nadal said after winning the title. He has won the French Open a record 14 times.
He comments on his pre-match nerves and the highlight of his career, stating: “I hope my legacy will be that I have always tried to treat others with deep respect. “This was my parents’ golden rule.”
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AP Tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
