'Rafael Nadal is effective at the net', says former star

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Rafael Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, says his foot is fine and suggested to reporters that he is getting tired of talking about his foot every time he walks into the press room. On Saturday, Nadal gave his press conference prior to the Wimbledon tournament. As expected, journalists were curious to know how Nadal's foot was after treatment in Spain. "Today I'm going to talk about my foot and no more, if that's okay with you guys. I have always been very open. We can't be talking about my foot every day. If not, we forget the most important thing, which is tennis," Nadal said. After winning the French Open, Nadal opted for a new treatment for his foot: radiofrequency ablation of the nerve in his foot. Nadal's foot has apparently responded well, as the Spaniard reveals that he hasn't had "one of those terrible days" in the last two weeks. "I can walk normally most days, almost every day. For two weeks now, I haven't had one of those terrible days where I can't move at all. I feel positive about the pain, and that's the main thing," Nadal revealed. Nadal is poised to win a calendar Grand Slam this year and is aiming to win his first Wimbledon title since 2010. Nadal, a two-time Wimbledon champion, faced Francisco Cerundolo in the first round. Coach Francisco Roig said that Nadal is not the top seed but added that he could be extremely dangerous if he reaches the second week.

Evert pays tribute to Nadal

Former World No. 1 Chris Evert praised Rafael Nadal's ability to improve every year and said that he could win if he remains fit. "Nadal can absolutely win here if his foot holds up. He is a great grass-court player who has improved every year to shorten his swing, shorten his rallies, and he is effective at the net, winning more points than before. You could never count him out," Evert said. Although former World No. 4 Brad Gilbert's first pick is six-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, he believes that Nadal could be dangerous if he gets to the second week. "I think Djokovic is the clear favorite here. A year ago, I would've taken Djokovic versus the field here, but a year later, he hasn't played as well as 2021. He is still the best player in the world on grass, but this is not a sure thing by any means. Nadal is coming off an incredible run at the French and is halfway to the calendar Slam. If he gets through the first week, Nadal is definitely in play," Gilbert said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/NCWH3fq

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