Rafael Nadal, of Spain, reacts after beating Richard Gasquet, of France, during the semifinals of the 2013 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2013, in New York. AP
NEW YORK – Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal blasted the decision not to award Madrid the 2020 Olympic Games on Saturday, claiming the International Olympic Committee had not treated the Spanish capital fairly.
Tokyo won the right to host the Games after seeing off Madrid and Istanbul in votes held earlier Saturday in Buenos Aires.
But Nadal, the world number two tennis player and a tireless campaigner for Madrid, said he was shocked to see Madrid, who were trying for the third time to win the Games, eliminated in the first round of voting.
“It’s very hard and tiring for all of us, because the country and the city of Madrid worked a lot to have the chance so many times,” said the 27-year-old.
“We feel that we deserve it. I was disappointed because we felt that we were in a good position. All the country was very involved.”
“I felt that after a lot of years working, I don’t know if it’s 100% fair that we go out at the first qualification when our opponents haven’t been in that position as many times.”
Nadal was speaking after booking a place in Monday’s US Open final, where he will take on world number one Novak Djokovic.