I spent most of career in pain because of degenerative condition - Nadal
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- Rafael Nadal won 22 Grand Slam singles titles between 2005 and 2024, the second‑most for a male player.
- Rafael Nadal was diagnosed with Mueller‑Weiss syndrome, a rare degenerative foot condition, after breaking his left foot at the 2005 Madrid Open final.
- Rafael Nadal used a specialist insole to keep competing, but it contributed to chronic knee tendinitis that forced him out of the 2012 London Olympics and US Open.
- Rafael Nadal told his Netflix series that his health‑risk decisions likely added 10‑12 Grand Slam victories to his record.
- Dr Ernesto Maceira said the condition stemmed from abnormal forces on an immature bone caused by Nadal’s intense childhood training.
Why it matters: Nadal’s revelations boost the Netflix series’ appeal, while reshaping his legacy by attributing up to a dozen Grand Slam wins to risky health choices, influencing how fans and historians assess the ‘Big Three’ era.
