Tennis legend John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal were involved in a fiery back and forth following his suggestion that the 22-time Grand Slam winner got preferential treatment by umpires at the 2022 US Open. Known for not mincing his words, McEnroe accused Nadal of benefiting from leniency regarding time taken between shots.
Nadal, irked by the allegation, robustly defended himself against the seven-time major champion, claiming that the extra time he took was due to him sweating more heavily than other players on the ATP Tour.
In response to McEnroe’s remarks, after securing victory over Rinky Hijikata at Flushing Meadows, Nadal held nothing back: “I think it’s a joke. I went through a lot of warnings through my tennis career and never for breaking a racket or for doing a mess on court. But yes I have for the time clock.
The Spaniard also noted his sweat issue complicates adherence to strict timing rules, saying, “The problem for players like me who are sweating a lot, you know when you go to pick up the towel you will be in trouble with the time, so I’m not going very often. I am following the rules. If I am having more than 25 seconds I receive a warning every single time.
Nadal concluded: “If not, check the clock. I don’t think I’m receiving different treatment at all. I don’t understand why John can say that on the TV but I am going to have a chat with him later.
When told about Nadal’s post-match comments, a stunned McEnroe fumed at the idea he had been misquoted, insisting: “Why did they throw me under the bus?”
He added: “We haven’t had that talk. But let me just add that he didn’t let me finish, whoever that dumb journalist was.
The tennis legend continued: “Rafael Nadal is entitled to do whatever the hell he wants. That’s part of why you get as good as you are. You’ve got to deal with that – and it’s not up to him. We all know that he’s been doing this for the past 10 or 15 years. There’s nothing new to that.
McEnroe went on to blast: “It’s not his call – it’s the umpire’s. By the way I think it’s BS anyway, that thing. No one pays attention to that. It should be automatic if you’re actually going to do it, right.
“When do they turn it on? When do they do it? Is it at the end of the point, is it when they get to the towel, is it when the crowd comes down? Now Nadal thinks I said that his legacy has been stained because he takes too much time. Jiminy Cricket.
