The opportunity to see one last time Rafa Nadal Competing at the Olympic Games is a gift and a joy for the many tennis lovers. For many but not all. In fact, there are those who consider this decision an injustice.
The Spanish tennis player Pedro Martínez he in fact criticized the ATP’s choice to grant the Manacor champion the possibility of using the protected ranking system to be able to participate in the five-ring event.
A maximum of four tennis players per nation can participate in the Olympics, and precisely because of the place reserved for the 22-time slam champion Martinez will be the first of those excluded. The 27-year-old currently occupies the 48th position in the ATP ranking, third Spaniard in order of ranking after Carlos Alcaraz and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
The protected ranking, which allows players who have not been able to participate in any tournament due to injury for a minimum of six months to take part in the competition with the “frozen” ranking, will guarantee a place for Nadal and Pablo Carreno Busta, keeping outside Martinez.
In an interview given on the occasion of Roland Garros, the Spaniard said he was disappointed and expressed his opinion on the fairness of the protected ranking system.
The words of Pedro Martinez
The number 48 in the world ranking called this system an injustice.
“In this case, protected ranking is an injustice because none of us have missed the Olympic Games due to injury, regardless of whether it is Rafa, who we all want to see at the Olympic Games, including me as a fan,” said Martinez.
The Iberian then continued: “I don’t see it as quite right. It’s like I get injured now and in four years I use the protected ranking at the Los Angeles Games.” Martinez finally concluded by saying that in his opinion he deserved to take part in the Paris Olympic Games.
“I think I deserve to go to the Olympic Games this year. And not going there because of a situation like this is a bit unfair. But you can’t control it and that’s it.”
