In the wake of Maria Sharapova’s announcement that she failed a drug test at the Australian Open, Rafael Nadal reiterated on Wednesday night that he has never used banned performance-enhancing drugs.
"You know what? I heard about the accusations] a few times again,” [the Spaniard told reporters ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. "I am a completely clean guy. I have never had the temptation of doing something wrong. When I get injury, I get injury. I never take nothing to be back quicker."
A powerful player with a noticeably muscular physique, he has faced scattered allegations of doping in the past. But the 14-time Grand Slam champion has never failed a drug test.
"I have been open all my career," Nadal told reporters. "I never tried to hide nothing that I did. I did [platelet-rich plasma], and then I did stem cells. The first time with PRP, it worked fantastic, and the second time it was bad. I had to stop playing tennis for seven months.
“With stem cells, I used it two times on my knees and it worked very well. I am not doing, never did and never [am] going to do something wrong."
As for Sharapova, who faces up to a four-year ban for testing positive for meldonium, Nadal didn’t show much sympathy.
“I don’t know nothing about this medicine,” he said on ESPN. “Since the beginning of the year it’s forbidden, so, sorry for her, but she make a negligence. She has to pay for it. We’ll see how the trial goes.”
The 29-year-old is just 8-4 this season, including a stunning first-round loss to Fernando Verdasco in the Australian Open. Seeded fourth in Indian Wells, he received a first-round bye and will face either Gilles Muller or Victor Estrella Burgos in the second round.
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