Rafael Nadal retaliates at Manacor mayor for special treatment claims

A back-and-forth between Nadal and his hometown’s mayor has ensued. The controversy started when the mayor alleged that he received special treatment for a major project.

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After allegations that he was given special treatment for the construction of his tennis academy in 2016, Rafael Nadal hit back at Manacor mayor Miguel Oliver. In an open letter sent to local news site Manacor Noticias, he called the comments “offensive” and “painful.” The world no. 1 also explicitly denied that there was something wrong done for the project to push through.

Nadal explained that the construction of his academy was accomplished in a “democratic way.” He said there was no favoritism employed in lobbying for its approval.

He also slammed rumors that the facility has not paid any property tax ever since its construction. Airing his frustration at the allegations, the Spanish player pointed out that he is doing the best he can to represent Manacor in the world stage.

The controversy erupted when Oliver suggested that there were special accommodations made by the town’s city council to allow the construction of the tennis academy. He said that it is good that the tennis center is in the area but he is not comfortable with what he calls as ‘a la carte Urbanism.’

After reading the open letter, the Manacor mayor shot back at Nadal. He said that the letter was not authentic, questioning whether Rafa was the one who wrote it.

Nadal’s good relationship with Mallorca

Before the current controversy, Nadal had a good relationship with his hometown of Manacor and with Mallorca in general. The Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy by Movistar has made the island a major destination for young people who want to be major stars in the tennis circuit. The massive tennis facility, with 19 hard courts and seven clay courts, also employs 300 people in the area.

Mallorca is also special enough for Nadal to choose to be married there. He married his partner and longtime friend Xisca Perello in a ceremony in the island in October.

Additionally, it can be recalled that Rafa donated $1.15 million to help raise funds for the victims of the Mallorca floods in 2018. The floods, which killed 13 people, mainly affected the town of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar. He mentioned that it really affected him since it happened near his own hometown.

Will we see Nadal in the Mallorca Championships?

Meanwhile as the most famous tennis player from Mallorca, it seems that Rafa’s status was one of the reasons why the Mallorca Championships will become an ATP 250 event next year. With his uncle and former coach Toni Nadal as the tournament director, people expect him to participate in the inaugural staging for the ATP Tour. But Toni firmly said that he will not pressure his nephew to appear in the tournamen

Nadal in London, ranking, and results in 2019

Rafael Nadal Stats info

Now the world no.1, the Spaniard has a 52-7 win-loss record in 2019.

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