Nadal reacts to doping accusations with threats to sue

In light of the Maria Sharapova meldonium scandal, other players have come under fire with doping accusations thrown in their faces. One such player isn’t having any of it. Rafael Nadal said he is planning to sue Roselyne Bachelot, the former French Minister for Health and Sports from 2007 until 2010, who made the following remarks:

“We know the famous injury of Rafael Nadal when he stopped for seven months was certainly due to a positive test,” Bachelot said. “When you see a tennis player who stops for some months, it is a positive test. Not each time, but very often." Bachelot was referring to Nadal’s knee problems that kept him away from competition for much of 2012, and has continued to stand by her words, despite zero evidence ever surfacing. The 14-time Grand Slam champion responded with a scathing threat to sue.

"There is a couple of times I heard comments like this, and that's what … this [is] gonna be the last one, because I gonna sue her,” Nadal said following his second-round win over Gilles Muller at Indian Wells. “I am tired about these things. I let it go a few times in the past. Not [any]more, you know?

"I know how tough I worked to be here. To listen, to [hear] those comments from a person that should be serious, because [she] was minister of a big country and a great country like France. So I gonna sue her, and I gonna sue everyone who gonna comment something similar in the future, because I am tired of that."

Nadal has responded to accusations before and has even defended himself in Indian Wells multiple times already.

Toni Nadal, Rafael’s uncle, said Bachelot is “an imbecile,” according to Spanish media. Spanish athletes including the Spanish Olympic Committee, the soccer team Real Madrid and basketball player Pau Gasol have all vocalized their support for Nadal.

No more Mr. Nice Guy. Nadal is clearly fed up with these speculations and will be going for the jugular. Bachelot and future accusers be warned.