“Is Rafa Nadal going to Saudi Arabia for money?”: this is how the tennis player justifies his controversial contract

Rafa Nadal's interview with Ana Pastor has generated a great debate on social networks due to the tennis player's opinion about feminism and the salaries of women in sport. The man from Manacor, who a few weeks ago returned to the courts after a year suffering from injuries, has spoken about other matters in laSexta, such as his controversial contract with Saudi Arabia.

“My objective is none other than to encourage tennis”said the athlete in the special program of The objective, issued this Wednesday. Xisca Perelló's husband has recently signed on as a tennis ambassador for Saudi Arabia, a country where he is taking in big sports stars to boost its image, marked by human rights violations.

Regarding whether “it has been lent” to “whitewash” Arabia, Nadal said: “When I made the decision to accept, we made a communication error on the day it was announced, I was not as on top as I should have been. I should have gone out and reported it. The feeling that was left is that they buy everything there with money, and now Rafa also goes for money. But it's not like that“, the Pastor explained to them.

In this way, he tried to justify himself: “I do it first as a personal challenge, what I am going to do there is in line with what I have done all my life: believe that sport can change lives. And I was asked to lead a sports project, at the Academy and Federation level. “I had the opportunity to promote my sport and take it to a place where the country was closed.”

The agreement between the best Spanish athlete in history and the Saudi country was announced a month ago through the networks of the tennis player himself and the Saudi Tennis Federation STF. The father of little Rafa faces the last sporting season of his life after the injuries sustained in recent years: “My life is going to be just as happy the day after,” he said about it. . Regarding the rumors of running as president of Real Madrid in the future, he clarified, without closing the door: “Yes, I would be excited but I don't have it in my life plan. If life gives me the opportunity and the conditions are met, then maybe.”

About Djockovick, Federer and Alcaraz

The connection he has with Roger Federer is tennis history. He explained that they maintain “a very good relationship.” However, he does not consider him a friend: “Friends are my lifelong friends.” Regarding his rivalry with Djockoick, he said that, for him, he is the best tennis player: “he has achieved more in the entire history of our sport.” Regarding the young Murcian Carlos Alcaraz, he noted: “I had many worse things on a technical level than what he has. He has things very clear and he is a very good boy.”