Rafael Nadal announced that he suffered a stress fracture in his left ribcage during a recent tournament, casting a cloud of uncertainty over his status for the 2022 French Open. He suffered the injury in the semifinal round of the Indian Wells Open on March 20, then announced the injury three days later. The timetable for recovery is four to six weeks, according to Nadal's statement.
With the French Open set to begin on May 22, the Spanish tennis star's status for his signature tournament could be in jeopardy. Let's explore how this injury impacts Nadal's chances and the chances of the other competitors.
Nadal's Clay Court Dominance Over?
The French Open is Rafael Nadal's event. He is the most dominant clay court player in the history of professional tennis, boasting an incomprehensible resume at the courts of Stade Rolland-Garros. Here's a quick rundown of his accomplishments at the French Open:
- 13 wins (most in history)
- Five straight wins from 2010 to 2014 (longest streak in history)
- 105-3 overall record (highest winning percentage in history)
Nadal lost to top-ranked men's player Novak Djokovic in 2021 and looked to reclaim his throne in 2022, but the rib fracture could derail those plans. Nadal reports that the injury is "painful" and makes breathing "very uncomfortable." These symptoms persist for about two weeks, which gives Nadal plenty of time to return for the French Open, right? Not necessarily.
The pain and discomfort from rib fractures might disappear after two weeks, but the healing process is far from over. Nadal won't be able to practice for at least four weeks until the broken rib can handle sudden movements and heavy breathing. Tennis players rely on a lot of bodily torque to hit the ball with power, so a healthy midsection is paramount to their success.
Plus, the injury could compound other common warm-weather medical issues that players will face in the event, such as dehydration and heat exhaustion. No doubt he has access to the world's most advanced recovery tools and specialists, but rib issues are tricky even for the experts.
The injury seems to have impacted Nadal's mental state, as well. Based on his other comments, even he sounds concerned about the injury:
"This is not good news and I did not expect this. I am hollow and sad because after the start of the season I have had such a good time ... I was getting to a very important part of the season feeling well and with good results. But well, I've always had this fighting spirit and what I'll do is be patient and work hard after recovering."
Nadal has an upbeat personality, so this uncharacteristic comment carries a little more weight. At 35-years-old, his career is nearly over, and he knows he doesn't have many chances left to play in his favorite tournament. After 2021's loss and this year's setback, one can't help but wonder if Nadal's dominance on clay courts has come to an end.
New French Open Favorites
Nadal won't be 100% if he plays in the French Open. The sports gambling world seems to agree, as they already adjusted the tournament odds and slightly reduced Nadal's chances. He remains the frontrunner, which demonstrates just how amazing he has been on clay courts. One does not simply bet against Rafael Nadal at the French Open.
Nadal dipped from a +100 favorite to a +137 favorite, while Djokovic's odds improved from +225 to +220. Interestingly, all other player odds remained the same or got worse. It seems that oddsmakers envision the French Open as a two-player competition between Nadal and Djokovic, with everyone else fighting for third place.
The next best odds belong to Stefanos Tsitsipas at +700, a drastic decline from his +400 odds before Nadal's injury. Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev round out the top five, but the spotlight will belong to Nadal and Djokovic when the tournament begins.
Appreciate Nadal While You Can
Hopefully, this injury is just another bump in the road for Nadal, but it serves as a reminder that athletic careers can end in the blink of an eye. Appreciate Nadal's dominance while you can, because we won't see another clay-court player like him again. Look for him to secure his 14th victory at the 2022 French Open, starting on May 22.
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