Injury led Nadal to consider golf
Source: Agencies |
August 24, 2011, Wednesday
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DEVASTATED and "without appetite for life," Rafael Nadal contemplated a move into professional golf after a career-threatening injury sidelined him.
The 10-time grand slam champion writes in his autobiography, "Rafa", that doctors discovered a rare foot injury in 2005 that had the potential to sideline him for good, prompting thoughts of a future in golf. But his off-court problems play a large part in the former top-ranked player's career. The mental toll of his parents' separation hindered his recovery from injuries in 2009, when pride led him to try to defend his French Open title despite his physical problems.
Still, his lowest point seems to have been when doctors discovered a congenital bone problem in the bridge of his left foot soon after a five-set victory over Ivan Ljubicic in Madrid on his toughest indoor surface. Nadal said that joy was soon replaced by "a state of deepest gloom."
"(The) diagnosis had initially been like a shot to the head," the 25-year-old Spaniard writes. "The bone still hurts me. It remains under control, just, but we can never drop our guard."
Nadal wept then just as he did after losing the 2007 Wimbledon final to Federer. But he did not cry on the flight from Melbourne in 2009 when his father Sebastian revealed to the recently crowned Australian Open champion that his parents had separated.
"My attitude was bad. I was depressed, lacking in enthusiasm. (My team) knew something had to give," writes Nadal, with the weight of those problems leading to his only defeat in seven appearances at Roland Garros and his subsequent withdrawal from Wimbledon. "My knees were the immediate reason, but I knew the root cause was my state of mind."
Mental toughness, instilled by coach and uncle Toni, is a key theme, especially in his ability to bounce back, including trying for his first victory in three Wimbledon finals against Federer.
Nadal was "gripped with fear," the warrior figure he'd cultivated had "lost his courage" after failing to clinch victory on several match point opportunities against Federer. Nadal credits moments like these for improving his mental stamina, with one chapter even titled "Fear of Winning."
The 10-time grand slam champion writes in his autobiography, "Rafa", that doctors discovered a rare foot injury in 2005 that had the potential to sideline him for good, prompting thoughts of a future in golf. But his off-court problems play a large part in the former top-ranked player's career. The mental toll of his parents' separation hindered his recovery from injuries in 2009, when pride led him to try to defend his French Open title despite his physical problems.
Still, his lowest point seems to have been when doctors discovered a congenital bone problem in the bridge of his left foot soon after a five-set victory over Ivan Ljubicic in Madrid on his toughest indoor surface. Nadal said that joy was soon replaced by "a state of deepest gloom."
"(The) diagnosis had initially been like a shot to the head," the 25-year-old Spaniard writes. "The bone still hurts me. It remains under control, just, but we can never drop our guard."
Nadal wept then just as he did after losing the 2007 Wimbledon final to Federer. But he did not cry on the flight from Melbourne in 2009 when his father Sebastian revealed to the recently crowned Australian Open champion that his parents had separated.
"My attitude was bad. I was depressed, lacking in enthusiasm. (My team) knew something had to give," writes Nadal, with the weight of those problems leading to his only defeat in seven appearances at Roland Garros and his subsequent withdrawal from Wimbledon. "My knees were the immediate reason, but I knew the root cause was my state of mind."
Mental toughness, instilled by coach and uncle Toni, is a key theme, especially in his ability to bounce back, including trying for his first victory in three Wimbledon finals against Federer.
Nadal was "gripped with fear," the warrior figure he'd cultivated had "lost his courage" after failing to clinch victory on several match point opportunities against Federer. Nadal credits moments like these for improving his mental stamina, with one chapter even titled "Fear of Winning."
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