Trying to Give Best, It’s Not Always There

 By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, April 25, 2024

Suffering has been a pathway to Slam salvation in the past for Rafael Nadal.

After sweeping 16-year-old wild card Darwin Blanch in Madrid today, Nadal discussed physical stumbling blocks.

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The king of clay launched his comeback in Barcelona last week after being sidelined 103 days due to a microtear in the muscle surrounding his surgically-repaired hip. Nadal has also reportedly been coping with an abdominal injury, which has hampered his serve a bit.

The 37-year-old Spanish superstar says he’s trying to give his best on court, but his body can sometimes limits him.

“I mean, I try to play at my 100%, but I can’t give my 100% every day,” Nadal told the media in Madrid. “But I give my 100% every day. The thing is before, most of the time, I was able to give my 100% of the 100%.

“Today I’m able to give my 100% of sometimes 40%, sometimes 60%, sometimes 70%, and if I am able to raise this percentage day after day or week after week, why not in the future what can happen? If not, it’s impossible and don’t make sense.”

Maximum effort will be required when Nadal faces Alex de Minaur, the man who knocked him out of Barcelona last week, in a Madrid rematch.

“Today is a different story. I mean, I never had this super long period of time without playing and important surgeries,” Nadal said. “And I never had almost 38 (smiling). Was in a different age.

“And I’m trying, as always, tried. Let’s see. I am not negative. I am just realistic. I am here to try to explore what can happen in the next couple of weeks.”

Photo credit: Pedro Salado/Getty