India, May 25 -- "Victory belongs to the most tenacious." A quote attributed to Napoleon I-famously displayed on Court Philippe-Chatrier-became synonymous with Rafael Nadal. In 2022, Nadal endured a torrid clay court season, hampered by injuries. A rib-cage injury ruled him out of Monte Carlo and Barcelona, and he struggled to find rhythm in Madrid, bowing out in the quarters. Then came a third-round exit in Rome, as chronic foot pain resurfaced. Nadal arrived in Paris surrounded by uncertainty-not just about his title chances, but even his participation.

Yet, fuelled by grit, experience, and an undying love for Roland Garros, he defied the odds. With injections to numb his foot before the final, Nadal clinched what would become his last...