SUMMARY
- Rafael Nadal is known for his sportsmanship and etiquette on the court.
- Sonego surprised everyone when he accused Nadal of poor sportsmanship at Wimbledon in 2022.
Rafael Nadal is one of the most prominent athletes around the world. The Spaniard is well-known for his etiquette on and off the court. Nadal has never conducted himself with anything but grace; therefore, when Lorenzo Sonego accused him of using distraction tactics, it raised quite a few eyebrows.
This incident happened at Wimbledon in 2022, when Sonego took on Nadal in the third round. Rafa was on a quest for a calendar slam and seemed well on his way to the next round. However, he was not happy with Sonego’s excessive grunting.
Nadal had had enough by the third set when he called Sonego to the net, and discussed it with him calmly. Lorenzo had just broken Nadal and had an advantage over the Spaniard. Unfortunately, Sonego could not hold on to that advantage for long, as he lost his serve and eventually the match.
5 Times ATP Sportsmanship of the year winner, Rafael Nadal Parera.pic.twitter.com/0RGUPWcVaD
— Pavvy G (@pavyg) December 5, 2023
The Italian did not look pleased at all when Rafa called him to the net. Following his loss to the Spaniard, the two of them were engaged in a lengthy conversation. Sonego opened up about his feelings during the post-match interview and expressed discontent with Nadal’s conduct. He felt as though Nadal had distracted him.
“A player should not call his opponent on the net. You cannot do that at Wimbledon. Nadal should have just had a word with the umpire. He distracted me,” he said (via Eurosport).
Lorenzo Sonego has made great strides in his career
Since Sonego made his ATP debut, he has achieved a great many things in his career. The Italian star has steadily risen through the ranking ladder to achieve his personal best rank of world number 21. He also earned his highest doubles ranking of No. 60 in 2022.
Sonego is a steady presence for Italy in team tournaments. He teamed up with another Italian star, Jannik Sinner, to lead their country to their first Davis Cup trophy in 47 years. Lorenzo played a crucial role in all his rubbers, giving his team an advantage like no other.
Lorenzo Sonego was last seen playing for Italy at the United Cup in Australia. He is currently competing at the Adelaide International, following which he will play at the Australian Open.