Rafael Nadal clarified that he "never" spoke "badly" of the Government of Spain and assured that he simply expressed "an opinion with the utmost respect" after the number two in the world said that extreme measures had to be taken because "the measures were not taken adequate "in full confinement during the pandemic.

"I never spoke ill of a government, I expressed an opinion that I believed at that time and the truth is that I expressed it with the utmost respect. What happens is that today absolutely nothing can be said, because unfortunately they are radicalizing us . [...] I am not interested in participating in this circus of hypocrisy and radicalization, "said Nadal in GQ magazine, protagonist in the September issue.

"First of all I am a person, I have no need to do politics or want to benefit some or penalize others with what I say (...) I stick to what I said and I would say it again, because I did not say anything that out of the ordinary. I said what I felt at that time. And why shouldn't I be able to give my opinion about what I please as long as it is with respect? I am a Spanish citizen like any other, I am an athlete like others they are engineers or electricians ... ", he added.

The Spaniard wondered at the end of April that "if people could go to a play to work together (being much closer together than on the tennis court), why couldn't the tennis players return to train as soon as possible?" questioned after the first measures of lack of refinement and the arrival of the 'new normal'.

"That my statements have an impact does not depend on me. I am not going to enter into the radicalization that many intend to implant in this society, in which they try to make controversy with everything. There has come a time when anything that is said is politics, the flag is political, that one says that what they have done is right or wrong because it is also political, one can no longer freely express what one believes because then you are speaking ill of a government, "he said.

As a result of the Covid-19 , Nadal said that "all sports go into the background when there are so many people suffering, so many families who have lost loved ones." "The reality is that to me personally it is something that does not concern me, and I say it with my heart. I do not care if the sports break has been good, bad or normal, during all these months I have thought very little about tennis I think there have been much more important things and enough misfortunes to think about something that I think is still secondary, "he said.

"I am confident to remain competitive"

"When things are good, I hope to be fully prepared again to return to action and remain competitive (...)". In this sense, Nadal did not specify when he plans to return to the circuit after his resignation from the US Open , but he does not lose sight of the calendar. "I reserve my verdict right now, because I am waiting for how things evolve. When the time comes, I will make a decision and I will do it after speaking with my family and my team, together we will make the decision that we think is best for us plus".

"Retired?" Everything has a beginning and everything has an end, and I'm not one of those people who are afraid of the end, I think I respect yes, but fear no. When the end comes, it will be time to accept it and continue looking for motivations in life, "said the Manacor man, who asked Spain to" empower and help people who have the illusion to get ahead "being" brave, committed and capable.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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