Nadal: "We never thought I'd play tennis again".

Rafael Nadal recently gave a rather lengthy interview to our Spanish colleagues at AS.

Discussing a wide range of subjects, he was notably asked to look back on the finest moments of his career.

The Spaniard placed particular emphasis on his second French Open title (2006): "It's always easier and more logical to stick to current events, because they're the most recent and the ones you remember the most.

But for me, there have been moments of great value.

Roland Garros 2006, for example. Because it was the first year after the foot injury.

Really, and this isn't to make an epic story, it's real, we never thought I'd play tennis again at a competitive level.

I remember, because we went through a lot of difficult times.

Injuries later in your career, when you've already achieved a lot, are tolerated in a certain way or seen from a slightly different perspective.

But when you're just starting out, when you've been preparing all your life and the first year you're really good, you're told you'll never play again, that's tough.

It wasn't a matter of a few weeks, but of several months.

From Madrid, which was indoors, until January, I couldn't find a solution.

Then there was Wimbledon 2008 and the Olympic Games that year, which were also very beautiful.

The whole of 2013, because after 2012, I went from Wimbledon to Viña del Mar without being able to play and I still had a lot of pain in my knee, everything that happened was very emotional...

And Australia 2022 is one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced."