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As darkness falls at Wimbledon, a heated final phase develops between Rafael Nadal and Lorenzo Sonego. The Spaniard even allows himself to be carried away to an action that he later regrets.
Rafael Nadal is not challenged against Lorenzo Sonego for a long time. The Spaniard quickly won the first two sets 6:1 and 6:2. As darkness falls, things get a little more complicated for Nadal at the end of the game.
Sonego is finding his way around better and better. He celebrates his point wins emotionally, once he even cheers before the rally is over. When the light conditions become more difficult, the Italian also advocates closing the roof early on. And again and again his blows are accompanied by a moan that cannot be overheard.
Nadal asks Sonego to go online
Rafael Nadal doesn’t seem to like it at all. When the Spaniard gave up his first service game under a closed roof after a short break and conceded the equalizer to make it 4: 4 in the third set, “Rafa” marched to the referee and complained. Then the 36-year-old calls his younger opponent to the net and gives him a short lecture. The Italian’s puzzled look speaks volumes.
What did Nadal criticize about the behavior of his counterpart? “There were things that happened during the game that I don’t want to go into detail about here because we talked about them in the dressing room,” said the current world number four at the press conference. Regardless of what exactly Nadal’s problem was, he has been criticized for his actions. “Rafa should have just spoken to the referee. You don’t call your opponent to the net, »says BBC expert Martina Navratilova.
Nadal apologizes on the pitch
Sonego then promptly loses the momentum, immediately concedes the next break and a little later the game. Nadal also noticed that. “I’m very sorry if I disturbed him. I just wanted to tell him something, but I did it in a nice way – and now I feel bad,” the 22-time Grand Slam winner apologized in the winner’s interview on the pitch.
Nevertheless, Sonego made it clear at the press conference: “A player should not call his opponent to the net. You can’t do that at Wimbledon. Nadal should have just spoken to the referee. He distracted me.” Sonego only wins three points after the unexpected exchange on the net.
Nadal, who is considered a very fair sportsman, once again showed insight at the press conference: “I shouldn’t have called him to the net. I apologize for that. It was a mistake and I’ll admit it. It was never the intention to disturb him,” regrets the Spaniard, who meets Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp in the round of 16 on Monday.