Rafael Nadal confirmed on Friday that he intends to play at Wimbledon for the first time in three years.
Nadal, who won his 14th French Open title earlier this month, will be looking to win a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the All England Club this year.
The 36-year-old has Müller-Weiss syndrome, which causes chronic foot pain. The world No. 4 said at Roland Garros that he has frequently undergone injections into a nerve to numb the pain but would see a specialist to have a new procedure – radiofrequency nerve ablation – and if he would not play in Wimbledon it was not successful.
But in a press conference in Mallorca, after a week of training on grass, Nadal confirmed his intention to compete in the Grand Slam.
“[The medical treatment] done in Barcelona is not a 100% instant thing, but changes are noticeable,” Nadal said. “I noticed them, strange sensations, my joint pain has decreased.
“My intention is to play Wimbledon and travel to London on Monday.”
Nadal last played at Wimbledon in 2019 where he lost to Roger Federer in the semifinals. He is a two-time All England Club singles champion, winning in 2008 and 2010.
The 2022 Australian Open and French Open champion still has concerns over his foot injury, adding that while he intends to compete in the competition “it’s still too early to give a definitive answer”.
“My foot situation has to be evaluated day by day, so right now I don’t have that certainty of being able to play. All I know is that I want to play the tournament, but we also have to be careful.
“In the first few days I had complicated feelings, day by day I got better. One more week of training in London and I hope to be able to play at Wimbledon and be competitive at it.”