US Open | This is how Rafa Nadal responds to the journalist who accuses him of exceeding the service time

“I think it’s a joke,” the Majorcan tennis player began his response. “I have been given many warnings throughout my career as a tennis player. And it has never been for breaking a racket or for mounting a number on the court, but it has been for the time of serve,” he said in an intervention that lasted for more than two minutes, Nadal interested in clarifying an issue in which, supposedly, the American John McEnroe supported in his accusations. “The truth is that I have a problem: I sweat a lot. When you play in these humid conditions this happens. Today we had a big problem. It’s been a couple of years that we haven’t had the ballboys bringing us the towel, so you have to go to the farthest place on the court to pick it up. That’s why now I don’t always go looking for her so as not to waste time. I don’t think I’m treated differently from the rest,” he said.

“So just for sweating you get a different treatment,” the journalist asked again, interrupted by the moderator in the press room with the intention of giving way to another question from another medium. But it was Nadal who showed interest in continuing the topic. “No, leave it,” the man from Manacor told the moderator, “I feel happy responding to this topic.” “I’ve never said that,” was the 22-major champion’s response. I follow the rules. If I spend more than 25 seconds to draw I receive a warning. If not, look at the clock, I don’t know what you’re looking for.” The journalist thanked Nadal for his clarification: “Thank you very much for your response.”

The four-time winner in New York concluded, by way of summary: “I do not have a different treatment with respect to the rest. I do not know why John (McEnroe) says this on television, but I will send him a message,” he concluded with a smile.