Rafael Nadal’s long-time foot injury explained as the tennis star shares he has been in ‘constant pain’ for 19 years
Rafael Nadal shared that he has lived with a painful foot injury for most of his career. Nadal is not only one of the most loved tennis players ever but also one of the best. From his first big win at the 2005 French Open to his retirement 19 years later, he won 22 Grand Slam singles titles—only Novak Djokovic has more.
Nadal’s amazing success has inspired millions of tennis fans worldwide, including the current world number two, Carlos Alcaraz, who often calls Nadal his childhood hero. What makes Nadal’s story even more impressive is that he achieved all this while dealing with a chronic foot injury that almost ended his career.
At just 19, Nadal was diagnosed with a rare condition called Mueller-Weiss syndrome after breaking his foot in the 2005 Madrid Open final, only months after his first big win. This condition causes ongoing pain and changes the shape of the foot over time.
In a new Netflix series, Nadal reflected, “I’ve had to make tough choices about my health, sometimes not sure if I was doing the right thing. But if I hadn’t pushed through, I probably would have won 10 fewer Grand Slams—not just one or two, but 10 or 12.”
Nadal said his foot was “the origin of all my problems” in a BBC interview. “I had to stay super positive, determined, and keep finding ways to compete. I went through many injuries but learned to accept the tough times, stay hopeful, and keep working hard.”
Throughout his journey, Nadal was helped by Dr. Ernesto Maceira, who said the condition came from Nadal’s intense training as a child. Although the injury nearly ended his career, a special insole suggested by the doctor helped him keep playing—though Nadal always had to deal with pain.
“Tennis became a race against time,” Nadal said. “I always wondered how long I could last with this foot. I never knew when it might be over, so I treated every year like it could be my last.”
Because of the insole, Nadal developed other problems, forcing him to miss the 2012 London Olympics and the US Open due to knee tendon issues. “My knee was badly damaged—there was a hole in the tendon,” he said. “Wearing the insole threw off my whole body.”
To manage the pain, Nadal took anaesthetics and anti-inflammatory medicines, which let him win nine more big titles in 2012. But he admits even that came at a cost. “I have two small holes in my intestines from taking too many painkillers,” he revealed.
Despite all these challenges, Nadal’s passion and happiness for tennis kept him going strong through it all.