Rafael Nadal on what kept him going.(Image via Getty Images)Rafael Nadal, the tennis legend, had won 22 Grand Slam singles titles, an Olympic singles gold medal, and 92 total ATP singles titles before he retired in 2024. While his career had inspired billions around the world, the Olympian battled tough times and injuries to come out successful. But even when things got incredibly difficult for Rafael Nadal, he refused to give up.How did the tennis legend Rafael Nadal keep himself motivated through all the tough times he faced in his life? In an interview with the BBC World Service's Sporting Witness programme, Rafael Nadal opened up about suffering from Mueller-Weiss Syndrome and described it as "the origin of all my problems".The Grand Slam legend said, "I had to stay over-positive, over-determined, always ready to try to find a solution to keep being competitive and find a way to be on court again…”Rafael Nadal added, “I went through, a couple of times in my career, a long process of injuries, but I think I was ready to accept that moment, to tolerate the frustration and to keep working with hope and passion.”The Olympian continued, "The key was the suffering was less than my passion and my happiness for what I was doing."What made Rafael Nadal balance his successful career with the serious injuries he sustained?In 2005, the tennis legend Rafael Nadal sustained a rare, incurable degenerative condition Mueller-Weiss Syndrome which affected the navicular bone in his left foot. This made his life incredibly difficult as the tennis legend Rafael Nadal remained in chronic pain.In a Netflix documentary, Rafael Nadal opened up about it and said, "I've had to make decisions about my health, where you are on the borderline between right or wrong…”The 22 time Grand Slam champion added, “But if I hadn't explored all that, I probably would have had 10 fewer Grand Slams. I'm not saying one or two, I'm saying 10 or 12. This is the reality."Rafael Nadal continued, "Always having the doubt in my head of, 'how long can I last with this foot?' I never knew how long my career would last…I always thought, 'maybe it's the last year, so there's no time to stop'."How Rafael Nadal’s family stepped up to be there for him As the tennis legend Rafael Nadal faced a series of injuries in his career, his wife stood up to be there for him through all the difficult moments that he has faced on the court.Rafael Nadal has often credited his wife, María Francisca Perelló, for the success he has achieved in his professional life.While Rafael Nadal has had huge success, both he and his wife María Francisca Perelló have always preferred to live a pretty private life, away from all the limelight, in Mallorca.