Rafael Nadal indirectly SLAMS Novak Djokovic over quarantine issues, adds fire to rivalry

The already blistering Australian Open 2021 quarantine talk has gotten even more heated, with world No. 2 Rafael Nadal offering his opinion on the matter as well. The postponed hardcourt slam became the centre of attention after 72 players were forced to give up their practice times and stay room-bound for 14 days after people on their flights tested positive for the Coronavirus. Rafa’s thinly veiled comments are an obvious dig at world No. 1 Novak Djokovic who has also faced the ire of Melbourne locals for his list of suggestions to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley. 

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Rafa turns up heat as he takes Djokovic to task over Aus Open demands

Usually reticent about most tennis feuds, Rafael Nadal's poorly disguised comments on Serbian rival Novak Djokovic are quite a step away from his usual, relaxed demeanour. Talking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour and to ESPN, Rafa took a dig at Djokovic, suggesting — like many others — that his rival's move to ask Tennis Australia for better living conditions for players in quarantine came from a politically motivated place. "Some need to make public everything they do to help others," Nadal said in one interview, adding that "others do it in a more private way without having to publish or advertise everything we're doing".

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However, Rafa's claim that "the calls we make to help the most disadvantaged players, some of us don't need to want to advertise on it" may not be entirely effective, as it seems that many of Djokovic's suggestions are already being put in place and receiving appreciation from certain players. Argentinian player Guido Pella has also called out top tennis players like Nadal and Dominic Thiem for not being more vocal about the vastly different treatments being meted out to players of lower ranks. "Djokovic's balcony is bigger than my room but at least he said something," Pella said in an interview. 

His inference is to the fact that top players like Djokovic, Nadal, Thiem, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are in quarantine in Adelaide instead of Melbourne and have access to world-class courts and training facilities while other players have been seen practising against mattresses and windows. Nadal himself admitted to this, saying, "Here in Adelaide, conditions have been better than most players in Melbourne. But there are players in Melbourne who have larger rooms where they can develop physical activities, others have smaller rooms and can't have contact with their coach and their physical trainer". 

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The Spaniard also talked about privilege and how "complaints are understandable and totally respectable" but claimed that he had "a different vision than other tennis players" about the issues at stake at the Australian Open 2021. What his opinions were, he did not clarify much. Nadal's complaints were unsurprisingly backed up by a surprisingly mellow Nick Kyrgios who simply said that he felt it was his duty to call out "tennis's LeBron James" Djokovic when he irresponsibly "lost his way" during the Adria Tour.

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Image credits: AP