RAFAEL NADAL has shown off his disfigured foot that he hid for years as his brutal tennis career took its toll.
The tennis legend will be remembered as one of the greatest players to ever grace a court.
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Rafael Nadal has shown off his disfigured foot that he hid for most of his tennis career Credit: NETFLIX
The Spaniard managed to win 22 Grand Slams while battling Muller-Weiss Syndrome Credit: AP
He finished his glittering career with 22 Grand Slams before finally hanging up his racquet in 2024.
The Spaniard’s 23-year spell was blighted by a number of injury issues, including knee problems, plus blows to his hip and thigh.
But one of the biggest setbacks Nadal suffered with was a niggling foot problem that was a real thorn in his side.
Nadal, 39, has now spoken out about the challenge he faced in battling with the foot injury while still trying to remain competitive on the court.
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In his Netflix documentary RAFA, he opened up on being diagnosed with Muller-Weiss Syndrome.
The rare degenerative foot condition causes the collapse of the tarsal navicular bone, causing it to deform over time.
The problem was discovered as far back as 2005, just four years after Nadal turned pro.
Doctors initially thought it was a straight or broken bone before he received the shock diagnosis.
The tennis legend detailed his fitness struggles in his Netflix documentary ‘Rafa’ Credit: Getty
A shocking image of Nadal’s foot has since been revealed, showing a large bulge on the top.
He claimed during the documentary he would have “ten or twelve fewer” Grand Slams if he hadn’t taken risks with his health.
Nadal said: “During my career, I had to make decisions about my health that were right on the limit of what was acceptable.
“Had I not taken those risks, I probably would have ten fewer Grand Slams — not one or two, but ten or twelve.”
He also shed light on other extreme measures he took to keep his fitness in shape, including taking anti-inflammatories that resulted in two perforations of his intestines.
The tennis legend added: “There was a time when I was living with constant pain. And there were many days when I had arguments with my physio about whether I should take anti-inflammatories or not.
“He had them; I would ask him for them, and he would give them to me. He was the one in charge.
“And then one day I said, ‘well, when you say there’s a line between what’s right and wrong, well, now I’m the one who decides when to take anti-inflammatories, when not to take them, how many I take or how many I don’t take’.
“So when I say there’s a line between what’s right and wrong, it’s because, ultimately, I know it’s 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 for that, my career would have been completely different.”
