A fiery Rafael Nadal wasn’t interested in being quizzed about his personal life after falling to Germany’s Alexander Zverev during the ATP World Tour Finals.
Nadal, who married longtime love Mery “Xisca” Perelló, got feisty with a reporter who asked if his personal affairs had gotten in the way of his game.
“Tonight, you were playing very short many times. I don’t know why, because you’re not used to that. I’d like to know, for many people to get married is a very important, distracting thing before the marriage, during the marriage, after the marriage.
I’d like to know if somehow your concentration on tennis life has been a bit different even if you were going out with the same girl for many, many years,” the journalist asked, according to a transcript from News.com.au.
Clearly displeased, Nadal responded: “Honestly, are you asking me this? Is a serious question or is a joke? Is it serious?”
When the reporter replied that he was “serious,” Nadal said he was “surprised” by the question.
“Is a big surprise for me you ask me this after I have been with the same girl for 15 years and having a very stable and normal life. Doesn’t matter if you put a ring on your finger or not. In my personal way, I am a very normal guy,” he said.
After the reporter told Nadal he had been with his significant other for 30 years this year, Nadal replied, “And before? Ah, maybe before you were not so sure. That’s why. OK. We move to Spanish, because that’s bulls–t. Thank you very much.”
Nadal and Perelló got engaged while vacationing in Rome last May.
