Nadal: 'I need to lose this fear'

It is no secret that Rafael Nadal in recent times has dealt with physical challenges, from arthroscopic left hip surgery last year to a micro tear in a muscle this year in Australia. Since his return to action in Barcelona, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has battled hard, but has not yet appeared in the form that helped him win 92 tour-level titles, perhaps protecting his body.

But after a tight three-set win against Zizou Bergs Thursday at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, the Spaniard said it is time to let go and try firing on all cylinders.

“I need to try to play at my hundred per cent. It’s not easy because I need to lose a little bit of fear that I have in some shots because, for example, in Brisbane I got a tear on the place that I had the surgery last year,” Nadal said. “Sometimes important surgery like I had, I had to remove an important part of my psoas tendon, [make] a lot of muscles around work more than before. It's about having the right time to adapt all these muscles to this new configuration of the hip. But I don't have that much time. That's the problem and that's the truth.”

The 37-year-old explained that he hoped to make enough progress to play at his 100 per cent in Monte-Carlo, but his abdominal injury prevented him from being ready to compete at all.

“I did this progress the past three weeks on the Tour. But the moment [has arrived] that I need to try, I need to go for everything. If something happens, something happens. That's the truth,” Nadal said. “It’s not like in Madrid, it’s not like in Barcelona, especially that I need to analyse how things are improving, to explore if I am able to adapt all these things to the new weeks. But that's over and we are in Rome.

“I have Roland Garros in just two weeks and a half, so... a moment [has arrived] that I need to prove to myself if I am able to push my body to the limit that I need to push to feel myself ready for what's coming.”

As Nadal later put it, “I need to lose this fear”, starting with his next match against seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz. He recalled against Bergs moments in which he moved faster and others when he did not.

“I need to get used to that, to take that risk,” Nadal said. “If something wrong happens, we’re going to accept it. But that's the moment to push. I feel more ready to try it than before.”

That’s what champions are made of 👑@RafaelNadal | #IBI24 pic.twitter.com/rTHUvYBLJu

— ATP Tour (@atptour) May 9, 2024

In recent weeks, Nadal has openly discussed the ups and downs of his level and how it is not as consistent as it was during his best years. He added that a match like the one he played Thursday helps.

“I felt myself before the match ready to play at the good level of tennis because I am feeling the ball much better on the practice sessions than what I felt in Barcelona and in Madrid,” Nadal said. “I feel myself closer to showing something probably much more positive that what I showed... today. Then I need to do it. That's a different story.

“I feel myself closer. That's why I was on the court even without playing well but telling myself I need to go through and explore the options that I can do much better the next day because my feelings on practice are much better than what I had, the level I showed today on court.”

Nadal admitted he might not play his best on Saturday against Hurkacz, one of the biggest servers on the ATP Tour. But that does not change his mindset.

“I hope to be able to play much better than today, to start thinking another way,” Nadal said. “Let's see. I mean, I am excited with the victory. That's given me the chance to keep going. I am very happy for that.”