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Rafael Nadal Fends Off Injury Concerns Following Citi Open 2021 Disappointment

Published 08/05/2021, 10:53 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

20-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal saw an unexpected ending to his Citi Open debut appearance. However, it is not all bad news for the Spanish great as he updates about his foot injury.

Notably, Nadal has Kohler’s, a rare condition in which a bone in the foot is not fully grown. Moreover, he confirmed after the previous match that the left foot was bothering him more than enough. But despite the loss in the third round, things are moving in the right direction for the 35-year-old.

USA Today via Reuters

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Rafael Nadal updates on his foot injury at Citi Open 2021

Following a slow start, Nadal found it hard to settle himself against Llyod Harris in Washington. Consequently, the South African professional took the opening set without any hesitation.

Furthermore, the Spaniard made a comeback in the second set and fought hard until the end of the third set. But ultimately, Harris got the final Hurray as he upset Nadal 4-6, 6-1, 4-6.

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Afterwards, the 13-time French Open champion quickly sat for the post-match press conference. Amid the presser, he revealed that his feet felt much better than before.

“The most positive thing is my foot was better today than yesterday, so that’s the best news possible. I played against a player that played well,” Nadal said.

He added that with his movement improved, he is looking forward to the hard-court season ahead.

USA Today via Reuters

With this, the debut campaign for Nadal in the American capital ended. And although he lost, the Spaniard would take many memories with him.

“The most painful thing is not to be able to be on court tomorrow in front of this amazing crowd,” Nadal said.

From here on, the Spaniard has a lot of work to do regarding his tennis. However, knowing that his left foot is doing good, he can work without external pressure.

Watch this story: Tennis Rivals Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s Top Funny Moments

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Where will Nadal play next after Washington disappointment?

Given the two months break after French Open, Nadal is fresh up to play as many tournaments as possible before the US Open 2021. Next up, he will appear at the Cincinnati Masters event in Toronto.

Most importantly, there have been numerous withdrawals from the ATP 1000 Toronto, which might give Nadal more time to settle down. Hence, it would be interesting to see how he picks up from the Citi Open loss.

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How excited are you to see Nadal back on the court again?

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Written by:

Purav Joshi

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Purav Joshi is a Tennis author at EssentiallySports. Having a degree in Films, Television and Media Production, he guided his passion for writing and journalism into the sport of aces and rallies. With over 2 years of experience as a copywriter, Purav has authored over 500 tennis articles.
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