By Jürgen Fritz, Sun 12 Jun 2022, Cover photo: Wimbledon-Screenshot

The suspended Medvedev (1) and the injured Zverev (2) will certainly not be competing at Wimbledon 2022. The injured record winner Federer will also be absent. Nadal (4) was also feared to be absent from the third Grand Slam tournament of the year due to his severe foot complaints. But now there is hope.

Toni Nadal: „Yes, he will play at Wimbledon“

The foot complaints, which are due to Müller-Weiss syndrome, a degeneration of the bone structure, have accompanied Nadal for 17 years now and were so severe most recently during his 14th Roland Garros victory that he could only play with injections into the nerve, rendering his left foot numb. So it was unclear whether he would be able to compete at Wimbledon, which starts just three weeks after the French Open final. But now there is reason for hope.

Rafa has already started a special pulsed radiofrequency therapy on Tuesday, in which the affected foot nerves are anaesthetised and thus can no longer transmit the pain stimulus to the brain. Rafa’s uncle Toni Nadal now said on the sidelines of the grass tournament in Stuttgart (E: ATP 250) that although this therapy had been very painful at first, as Rafa told him, he now feels much better and wants to start training on grass tomorrow, Monday, in Mallorca to prepare for Wimbledon. The A-tournament starts two weeks later on 27 June. Rafa may want to have a second round of treatment next week. „I’m sure if he has a small opportunity, he will play at Wimbledon,“ said Toni Nadal, 61, who coached Rafa from his childhood until 2017.

Djokovic and Nadal have won 16 of the last 20 Grand Slam tournaments

Novak Djokovic (3) will definitely be at the start, provided he does not injure himself now. The six-time Wimbledon winner is also the defending champion, having won the world’s most important tournament three times in a row. Nadal and Djokovic, both now in their mid-thirties, have won 14 of the last 16 Grand Slam tournaments and 16 of the last 20 since Roland Garros in 2017, eight each:

Australian Open – Roland Garros – Wimbledon – US Open

2017: Federer – Nadal – Federer – Nadal
2018: Federer – Nadal – Djokovic – Djokovic
2019: Djokovic – Nadal – Djokovic – Nadal
2020: Djokovic – Nadal – cancelled – Thiem
2021: Djokovic – Djokovic – Djokovic – Medvedev
2022: Nadal – Nadal – ?

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray have won all the Wimbledon titles since 2003

The 35-year-old Andy Murray, who now plays with a metal hip and is in today’s final in Stuttgart (E: ATP 250) against Matteo Berrettini, will also compete at Wimbledon. Since 2003, Federer (8), Nadal (2), Djokovic (6) and Murray (2) have won all the Wimbledon men’s singles titles. The last person to win Wimbledon apart from these four was Lleyton Hewitt in 2002, 20 years ago.

Wimbledon winner since 2003

2003: Federer vs. Philipoussis
2004: Federer vs. Roddick
2005: Federer vs. Roddick
2006: Federer vs. Nadal
2007: Federer vs. Nadal
2008: Nadal vs. Federer (final of the century)
2009: Federer vs Roddick
2010: Nadal vs. Berdych
2011: Djokovic vs. Nadal
2012: Federer vs. Murray
2013: Murray vs Djokovic
2014: Djokovic vs. Federer
2015: Djokovic vs. Federer
2016: Murray v Raonic
2017: Federer vs. Cilic
2018: Djokovic vs. Anderson (in the semi-final/advanced final against Nadal)
2019: Djokovic vs Federer (another final of the century)
2020: cancelled
2021: Djokovic vs. Berrettini
2022: ?

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