This is one of twelve excerpts from an exclusive interview with Nick Chappell at the 2022 Columbus Fall Challenger. They will be posted over time in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Tennis Acumen:, I imagine over the years you have played with injuries or played when you're simply hurting. Some guys say everybody's hurting, every match, to some degree. Tell me about that. And how do you make decisions on stopping versus pushing through?
Nick Chappell: Everyone is playing through pain, especially later in the year. Everyone's definitely dealing with something. It's hard to say it's that much different than the beginning of the year because there's not really an off season. You have to be pretty disciplined in how you build your schedule. Last year, I got into a trouble playing too many weeks in a row and not getting myself enough rest. There's always pressure to play more tournaments because you have points coming off. If you have an opportunity to get into a bigger event, for instance, then you don't necessarily want to rest. But a major factor is taking care of your body. I've been pretty healthy this year, but I'm also still dealing with some injuries. It's something you always have to manage. It's a little tricky here at the Challengers And even more so, at Futures. Look at the main tour players. They usually have their own physio. They either travel with a coach or a physio. A lot of times, both. At Challengers, we use the tournament physios. A lot of times they're very good, but not always. Depending on which country you're in, what city. Sometimes they're not the best. Plus, you're seeing somebody new every week. It's a little bit different than somebody who works for you, who knows your body and knows exactly what you need. It is a little bit harder on the Challenger level than the tour level. The level of play is not that much different. It is just as physical. The matches are grueling physically. But here, players are more on their own. You really have to be on top of things.