Rafael Nadal has launched a withering broadside at the Spanish tennis federation after its president was suspended pending a financial investigation and an acrid dispute over the appointment of Gala León as the country’s first female Davis Cup captain rumbles on.
Breaking off from his preparations for Wimbledon, where he will face the Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci in the opening round, Nadal fulminated at length about the plight of Spanish tennis, which he said had become embroiled in a relentless media circus that threatened to damage the sport’s image, discourage participation and deter sponsors.
“The situation is terrible,” said Nadal, whose 14 grand slams includes two Wimbledon titles.