One key ingredient in winning ATP Tour finals is resilience, the ability to combat any challenges that may arise.
Injuries are a prime example and Rafael Nadal discovered this in 2022 when he competed for silverware with more than just a knock.
Nadal reached the semi-finals of the Indian Wells Open and came up against fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
A 6-4 4-6 6-3 victory sent him to his fifth final at the Tennis Garden, but it was far from straightforward for the three-time champion.
He was in visible discomfort, holding the left side of his chest during a changeover and required medical treatment from a trainer.
Nadal managed to withstand the pain during the third and deciding set to confirm his place in the Indian Wells showcase event.
However, the injury appeared to make his life difficult against Taylor Fritz in the final as he trailed by four games in the opening set.
After leaving the court for treatment he fought back in the hopes of turning the lead around, but was beaten 6-3.
And even though he took the second set to a tiebreak, Fritz emerged as the 7-6 victor and thus taking the Indian Wells title.
Nadal understandably looked disappointed after his 20-match win streak was ended before revealing the true extent of his fitness issue.
“I had problems breathing,” he said in his press conference. “I don’t know if it’s something on the rib, I am not sure yet.
“But when I’m breathing, when I’m moving, it’s like a needle all the time inside here, and I get dizzy a little bit because it’s painful.
“It’s a kind of pain that limits me a lot and it’s not only about pain, I don’t feel very well because it affects my breathing.”
Nadal then took to social media to confirm that he in fact suffered a cracked rib.
“As it turns out, I have a stress crack in one of my ribs and will be out for four-six weeks. This is not good news and I did not expect this,” Nadal said.
“I am downcast and sad because after the start of the season I have had such a good time.”
When reflecting on his injury later in the year in an interview with MARCA, he admitted he wouldn’t have played against Fritz if he knew the severity of it.
“Until Indian Wells I hadn’t lost a match, 20 wins in a row. But in the semi-final against Carlos, at the end of the third set, I broke my rib,” Nadal said.
“That day, already in the locker room, I could hardly breathe but I decided to play the final because they told me it was probably a muscle spasm.
“Obviously, if I had known that I had a broken rib I wouldn’t have played. From then on, the year was very complicated.”
Nadal didn’t face too long of a spell out injured though as he won his record-extending 14th title at the French Open.
However, defeat to Fritz was his final ever match Indian Wells match as he missed the following two tournaments before retiring in 2024.
The Spaniard called time on a career that delivered an incredible 22 Grand Slam wins as well as an Olympic gold medal.