"Lose the final and get a new foot" - Nadal highlights what matters to him most

French Open favourite Rafael Nadal can increase his record tally of Roland Garros titles to 14 this year, but the Spaniard has said he would favour "a new foot" over another crown in Paris.

Alexander Zverev 's gruesome injury in the French Open semi-finals was a reminder of how fragile a career in sport can be, and Rafael Nadal is eager to heed the warning. Asked by a Spanish reporter whether he would prefer to win the final or get a new foot Nadal explicitly explained:

"I would prefer to lose Sunday's final and get a new foot. I would be happy with my life with a new foot. Win is beautiful, but life is much more important than any title. Especially after the career that I had."

He further said:

"At no time do I want this to seem like a farewell. We will continue working to find solutions to what is happening down with my foot. I trust and hope to be able to return. This last year has been difficult. Day to day, with everything that it entails, has been difficult not just because of all the effort but to stay competitive. And I play to be competitive. It’s what makes me really happy. We will keep thinking about the things we need to improve and the desire is to continue.”