Rafael Nadal admits body did not support him as expected despite French Open 2020 win

Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal played a near-perfect game of tennis to claim his 20th Men's Singles Grand Slam title at the French Open 2020 final last Sunday. In a game that lasted just over two hours and thirty minutes, Rafa dominated over the Serb and proved once and for all, that his prowess on clay could not be challenged, even by the World No.1. The win also marked Rafa's 100th win at Roland Garros and his 13th French Open title - numbers that are unheard of, on any surface.

Also Read | Rafael Nadal Has Humble Reaction To Winning Record-levelling 20th Grand Slam; Watch Video

Nadal says he wasn't at his best at the French Open 2020

Coming off of long breaks, many sportspeople around the world are feeling the strains of suddenly subjecting their bodies to such physically demanding work. At 34-years old, Nadal is among the oldest players ranked within the top 100 by the ATP. During a press conference after his historic French Open 2020 win, the Spaniard revealed that he had been struggling with his fitness in the months leading up to the French Open 2020. His coach Carlos Moya has also talked about how Rafa's body struggled to adjust after the lockdown. 

Also Read | 'Rafael Nadal Had No Chance In French Open 2020 Final' Claim Regretted By Djokovic's Coach

At the press conference, Rafa commented on his fitness, saying, "On a personal level, after the lockdown, I went through a bad time, my body did not respond in the best way possible. I had a lot of days where I could only train very little, with unpleasant feelings in my body. All of that, together with training without clear goals, makes the problem worse." Adding to this, Rafa credited his team, "I had the right people by my side. They pushed me when necessary & they gave me the freedom to enjoy other things when I really needed to. We’ve had to make difficult decisions, like not going to New York."

Despite whatever niggles he had, Rafa defeated the seemingly fit and healthy Novak Djokovic, making just 14 unforced errors, compared to Djokovic's 52. He also broke the World No.1's serve 7 times to cruise to a 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 win, equalling Roger Federer's 20 Grand Slam wins. 

Also Read | Novak Djokovic Surprised With Rafael Nadal's 'perfect' Game At French Open 2020: Watch

Rafa on life in bio-bubble

Rafa also talked about his experience with living in the bio bubble, admitting that he had struggled with it a little. "Personally, I find it harder than they [his team] do. I’m a person who prefers being with people more. Carlos has always had the ability to get by on his own, For me, it’s a little harder." However, the King of Clay has rediscovered old interests like playing video games, watch TV series and reading and says that the bubble helped him get back to them. 

Also Read | Novak Djokovic Trolled By Chris Evert For Calling Rivalry With Nadal 'greatest In Tennis'

Image Credits: Roland Garros Twitter