Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal, who suffers from the Müller-Weiss syndrome on his left foot, signalled his intention to play at Wimbledon this year, adding that his availability would be contingent on the condition of his foot.

“My intention is to play at Wimbledon. The treatment and the last week of training tells me there is a chance. I will travel to London on Monday, play an exhibition at Hurlingham and do a week of training to see if it’s possible,” the 36-year-old told a press conference at Mallorca on Friday.

Nadal, who said injections had made his left foot feel “asleep” during the 2022 French Open final on June 5, still managed to beat Norway’s Casper Ruud to seal a record 22nd Grand Slam title, as well as his 14th French Open title.

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Subsequently, the Spaniard travelled to Barcelona last week to receive “pulsed radiofrequency stimulation” treatment to reduce his nerve pain.

On Monday, Nadal had his first grass session at the Mallorca Country Club, and has continued to steadily increase the intensity of his training route through the week.

Commenting on how the treatment affected him, Nadal said on Friday, “I have noticed a difference, some slightly strange feelings to be honest. “

“With the treatment in the nerves, things happen in your foot, sometimes one part of the foot goes numb, sometimes another. It’s normal apparently and after a few weeks the nerves reorganise themselves,” the 36-year-old said.

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“I’m happy. I’ve felt a bit of pain, but it’s different to what I had before, which for me is progress,” he added.

“I will travel to London, play two matches there before the tournament and follow my normal schedule to prepare for Wimbledon. Who knows what can happen in a couple of days — if the situation changes or something more negative (happens), there will be a moment to explain. But I am excited to travel to Wimbledon and to play for the first time in three years,” Nadal further said, adding that his plan was to “play Wimbledon, rest, then Canada and then the US Open.”

Nadal has won Wimbledon twice in his career – in 2008 and 2010. Wimbledon begins on June 27.