Rafael Nadal is regarded as one of the finest tennis players of all time, but when he tried to be a doctor for himself at the twilight of his career, he invited trouble. The 23-year-long career was filled with two things in particular: success and injuries. In a desperate bid to keep his career going, he took drastic measures, as he recently revealed he still suffers from medical ailments even after his retirement in 2024.

With his chapter-based documentary titled ‘Rafa’ set to release on Netflix on May 29, Nadal was asked about the instances when he defied the doctors and played matches even when he was advised not to. The 39-year-old revealed that he started taking medications by himself during the later stages of his career, and this resulted in him suffering from a serious health condition.

“And there came a day when I said, well, when you say that there is a limit between what is right or wrong, now I am the one who decides when to take anti-inflammatories, when not to take them, how many I take, or how many I do not take. And they (doctors) practically didn’t even know. For the simple fact that, of course, it was uncomfortable for me to have to ask all day when I knew that the other person did not agree with that,” he told Marca in an interview.

“But from my point of view, it was either that or I didn’t play tennis. So, when I say that there is a boundary between what is right and wrong, it is because, in the end, I know that it is harmful to my body. In fact, as I said, I have two perforations in my intestines from taking so many anti-inflammatories. But if it hadn’t been like that, my career would have been completely different,” he added.

In an attempt to heal his injuries, the high dosage of anti-inflammatories resulted in two intestinal perforations that still cause him problems today.

Nadal suffered from a variety of injuries during his playing career. A hip injury in 2024 was the final straw as it led to him a pre-mature retirement.

One of Nadal’s worst injury blows came back in 2005 when he was diagnosed with the Muller-Weiss Syndrome in his left foot. This incurable condition severely affected the navicular bone in his foot and caused him excruciating pain daily. Nadal had to take a number of specialized injections and wear customized shoes in order to play.

The Spaniard also suffered from chronic tendinitis in both his knees, which kept him out of action frequently and led him to miss multiple Grand Slams, especially between 2009 and 2012.