Preparing for the 2021 Monte Carlo tournament, Rafael Nadal shared details about the back injury that plagued his early season in Australia. He confessed that the injury was emotionally draining and effectively ruined his hopes for a strong performance at the Australian Open.
Ahead of his 2021 Monte Carlo campaign, Rafael Nadal provided some insight into the back injury that plagued him through most of the Australian hardcourt swing earlier this year. Nadal claimed he was left dejected by his injury, which put paid to his hopes of doing well at the Australian Open.
The world first learned about Nadal's back struggles during the ATP Cup, where he was forced to skip both of his singles matches. Unfortunately, there was little recovery by the start of the Australian Open, forcing him to find unconventional ways to play through the discomfort.
In a recent interview with Tennis TV, Nadal described the grueling experience in Melbourne, explaining that he had to innovate daily just to remain competitive in the Slam. He also mentioned that the back issues first cropped up about three weeks before the tournament began.
“It was a really difficult period leading up to the Australian Open; I was constantly searching for ways to make playing possible,” Nadal recalled. “I managed to push through, and reaching the quarterfinals wasn't a terrible outcome, even if it wasn't the result I was aiming for.” He added that while he felt prepared for Melbourne initially, the onset of the back injury about 20 days before the start shook his confidence and positive momentum.
Nadal mentioned that it took about two weeks of recovery after being knocked out of the Australian Open to get his body back in shape. Now, as he pursues an unprecedented 12th title in Monte Carlo, he feels confident and satisfied with both his physical health and his game.
“Returning to the court took some time; I needed specific treatments and a few weeks of focused work to get things right again,” Nadal explained. “However, I'm in a great place now. I've had a solid month of practice and have been able to train as intensely as I wanted, so I'm happy with how I'm feeling coming into this.”
Nadal also shared how glad he is to return to a tournament where he has enjoyed such legendary success. The 34-year-old noted that the atmosphere and weather in Monte Carlo provide the ideal setting for high-level tennis.