Nadal confirms chronic foot injury flared up in Shapovalov loss: "I am not injured, I am a player living with an injury"

Rafael Nadal fell to Denis Shapovalov on Thursday evening at Internazionali BNL d'Italia Rome in a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 defeat and he revealed afterwards that it was his chronic foot injury which was the problem.

This was the reason he took time away from the court after the Sunshine Double and could potentially put his French Open plans in jeopardy.

"I am not injured, I am a player living with an injury," the 35-year-old said post match. "It's nothing new. It's something that is there, and unfortunately, my day by day is difficult, honestly."

"Of course it's difficult for me to accept the situation sometimes because it can be frustrating that a lot of days I can practice the proper way then today at half of the second set it starts then was unplayable for me. Well done for Denis, sorry I came straight away. I don't want to take away any credit from Denis that he deserved."