Rafael Nadal has criticised Spain’s female Davis Cup captain for feeding a “false and absurd” debate that started when his uncle questioned whether a woman could coach in the men’s game.
The 14-times grand slam winner struck out at both the captain, Gala León, and the Spanish tennis federation.
“It seems strange to me, as Davis Cup captain, that instead of seeking union and harmony between players, captains and the federation, she has incited and fed a debate that is totally false and absurd,” Nadal said.
Nadal said the federation president, Jose Escanuela, was within his “right” to appoint León captain, but “it seems unfair to me that they have wanted to shift the issue to a place that is evidently a clear issue of populism.”
In September, Toni Nadal questioned León’s appointment as Spain’s first female Davis Cup captain by saying it was “preferable that [the captain] is someone with a background in the world of men’s tennis”.
Toni Nadal’s comments were labelled sexist by politicians from Spain’s leading parties and in the media.
The appointment was applauded by Andy Murray, who is coached by Amélie Mauresmo, and the International Tennis Federation. León has since met with some Spanish players, but not Rafael Nadal.
“I’m not going to ask for forgiveness for being a woman,” León told the media after a player meeting last month, which she described as “constructive” and “professional.”
Nadal has been off the court since having his appendix removed this month, ruling him out of the season-ending ATP finals. He announced on Tuesday that he will return to playing at the start of next year at an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in January.
