Nadal: “I was wrong, I shouldn’t have called Sonego at the net”

Rafael Nadal was quick to admit that the chat he had with Lorenzo Sonego during their third round was inappropriate.

Rafael Nadal and Lorenzo Sonego, Wimbledon 2022 © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

July 3, 2022

As Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas were battling in what the Greek would refer to as a circus on Saturday, another controversial moment happened on Center Court when Rafael Nadal summoned Lorenzo Sonego to speak with him at the net at the end of the third set..

The media on site understood that Nadal complained about the late grunts made by Sonego after his shots, rather than during. Anyway Nadal started his conference by way of an apology.

“Well, first of all, I have to say that I was wrong”, stated Nadal.

“Probably I should have not called him at the net. So apologize for that. My mistake in that. I recognize that, no problem.”

Nadal : “One thing that was bothering me”

Though reporters probed, Nadal was reluctant to give details on why he initiated the chat.

The Spaniard added: ” All the stuff during the match that I don’t want to comment, because it is something that I spoke with him in the locker room. It stays there. The only thing I can say is that I saw him personally. I apologize for that.

“My intention was never to bother him at all. Just to tell one thing that was bothering me that I think he was doing in that moment, but that’s it. I think there is some codes between players. Yeah, we had some issues there. But that’s it.“

Nadal event continued the chat at the net during the post-match handshake, before the umpire intervened and invited the two players to continue in the locker room. Asked about to explain the code between players that he referred to, Nadal couldn’t give a proper explanation.

Well, the ethic is a line that is difficult to analyze, because the things that are correct for you can be uncorrect for me.

“Well, the ethic is a line that is difficult to analyze, because the things that are correct for you can be uncorrect for me, and is difficult to put the line. Where is the line that the things are done the proper way or the negative way? I think everyone have to go to the bed being calm with the things that you have done, and if you can’t sleep with calm and being satisfied with yourself, it’s because you did thing that probably were not ethical, correct.”

Rafael Nadal’s next opponent will be the Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschlup in the fourth round on Monday.