Nadal to play French Open despite injury concern
The Hindu
Rafael Nadal posted a picture with the caption “See you on Wednesday, Paris” to indicate he will play at the French Open despite struggling with a chronic foot injury
Rafael Nadal has moved to ease concerns about his injury problems ahead of the French Open, posting a picture of himself training in full flow at his academy in Mallorca with the caption: "See you on Wednesday, Paris."
The 13-time Roland Garros champion had said last week that daily training was a challenge and he would take a doctor with him to Paris after a chronic foot injury flared up during his defeat by Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open.
Rafael Nadal, 35, who only recently returned from a stress fracture in the ribs, struggled towards the end of his match against the Canadian as he went down 1-6 7-5 6-2 in the last-16.
But the world number five looks poised to launch another bid for a Grand Slam title at his favourite hunting ground, having won his 21st major at the Australian Open earlier this year.
That victory followed a difficult 2021 during which he missed Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics and the U.S. Open.
Rafael Nadal will be attempting to reclaim the title in Paris after he suffered a semi-final defeat last year against Novak Djokovic, only his third career loss at Roland Garros.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.