"I absolutely don't believe...": Nadal takes a stand on the Sinner affair and has made a choice about his future

The man with 14 Roland-Garros titles spoke to CNN and didn't avoid any subject.

Spanish legend Rafael Nadal , who will be in the spotlight at the upcoming Roland-Garros on May 25, has been breaking his silence for several weeks, giving several interviews. The latest was for the American channel CNN . When asked about several current affairs issues, the Spaniard didn't avoid anything, particularly the Jannik Sinner case. Suspended for three months, the world number one will make his big return to competition next week (May 4), at the Masters 1000 in Rome.

And for the 14-time French Open winner, if Sinner wins in Paris, there will be no need to talk about this affair and downplay his victory. "I don't have a clear opinion, first of all because I don't have all the information," Nadal said cautiously, before asserting with conviction: "I believe 100% that Jannik is innocent. I absolutely don't believe that Jannik wanted to do something forbidden, so I believe it 100%. From my point of view, I really don't think that Jannik, being world number one, received a different treatment than the others, from my point of view and my understanding. I really believe in the process," concluded the Spaniard.

A future already decided?

Also asked about his own future, Rafael Nadal assures that he is enjoying his retirement and is not considering, at least for the moment, a return to the tennis courts as a coach, like Andy Murray with Novak Djokovic . "In life, you can never say never. I find it hard to imagine doing something like that now... It's not my time. I'm at a different stage in my life and I don't see myself traveling with a player now."

"I firmly believe he will have one of the best careers of all time."

Despite complicated results since the beginning of the season and an injury that could prevent him from defending his title at Roland-Garros , Carlos Alcaraz still has the confidence of the clay court legend who strongly believes in the potential of his cadet, despite the strong pressure around him. "We all suffer from the pressure of the media and the expectations that people have of us, but I think that in the end, we are human and we know how to handle the pressure (...) I think he is doing very well, that he is having an incredible career and that he will still win a lot if he stays healthy; that is the most important thing. I hope and I firmly believe that he will have one of the best careers of all time."