Toni Nadal reacts to Djokovic's comments about players and injuries
ATPWednesday, 25 January 2023 at 17:00
Updated at Sunday, 12 January 2025 at 17:54
According to Toni Nadal, Novak Djokovic referenced Rafael Nadal in regard to his injuries and comments, calling out the media for a double standard.
According to Djokovic, the media and the tennis community don't treat players' injuries the same way. His injuries are repeatedly questioned, while those of other players are not.
Considering that Nadal was the only other injured high-profile player, his uncle, Toni, who shared his thoughts in a column for El Pais, was sure that his nephew was the one Djokovic was referencing.
"I know perfectly well that there is a certain controversy regarding the contradiction generated by the excellent games that Novak has played and his gestures on the courts, and his repeated statements about the ailment he is suffering from in one thigh."
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He further expanded by explaining that he is sure that the comments referenced Nadal as he was the only other injured player at the event. Djokovic did not name any names but rather talked generally as this wasn't the first time he was accused of faking an injury.
"They have sent me a sentence from his press conference in which, with notable annoyance, he complains that the authenticity of his injury has been questioned and, instead, that "they are victims to others when they also suffer them."
"I am not very susceptible by nature, but I understand that "others" refers to Rafael, the only "other" injured tennis player among the contenders for the title."
Naturally, Toni Nadal defended his nephew, saying that in the past, it was clear that injuries impacted players' performances. That wasn't the case with Djokovic's injury.
"For years we have been able to verify how injuries, both in the case of my nephew and in that of other players, have had an immediate negative consequence in their matches or, if not, they have suffered it at the end of them."
"That is why I think that Nole should not be surprised that his clear third round victory over Grigor Dimitrov and his crushing round of 16 victory against Alex de Minaur, both based on the same quality as always in both court displacements and punching effectiveness, surprise and sow certain doubts about the extent of his injury."
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