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Nadal says he intends to compete at Wimbledon

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Rafa Nadal has announced that he intends to compete at Wimbledon later this month where he will attempt to win a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title. This despite nursing a foot injury.

The injury, which forced him to take five months off in 2021, returned to Rome prior to the French Open, after he had come back from a six-week injury break in May.

After winning both the Australian and French Opens this year, the 36-year-old Nadal, told a news conference that the pain in his injured foot has eased and he will travel to London on Monday to begin his preparation for the Wimbledon tournament.

Nadal has not played Wimbledon since 2019 when he reached the semi-finals. The tournament was not held the following year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and he missed the 2021 edition due to injury. The last time he reached the final of Wimbledon was 11 years ago, when he finished as runner-up to Novak Djokovic.

The tennis ace won Wimbledon in 2008 and 2010, said last month in Paris that he had played Roland Garros with pain-killing injections prior to each match, but does not want to repeat that at other tournaments.

The Wimbledon tournament is the only Grand Slam event played on grass courts.

Commenting on playing on grass courts Nadal said, “Grass is a very complicated surface, it doesn’t respond to logic. I haven’t played on grass for many years – not official matches. Every round is complicated. The beginning of the tournament is going to be vital to me.”

Nadal also confirmed that his wife Mery Perello is pregnant with their first child.

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