Rafael Nadal Wrong to Criticize Roger Federer for Views on Tour

Rafael Nadal is out of place to urge Federer to accompany him in his cause against the ATP. Every man has different views and it is wrong to expect someone to automatically adopt your beliefs.

An apparent feud between the two tennis giants stems from the fact that some players on the ATP tour have an issue with the length of season, among other topics.

The players held a meeting and discussed a Grand Slam boycott. The players accuse the ATP of inequitable profit distribution. Nadal and other players are trying to change things. Federer has stayed diplomatic and has said that things are fine as they are.

Nadal seemed infuriated by Federer's lack of support. But it isn't fair of him to take Federer to task. Nadal said Federer's lack of action suggests "the rest can burn themselves."

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For him it’s good to say nothing. Everything positive. ‘It’s all well and good for me, I look like a gentleman,’ and the rest can burn themselves.

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If the conditions really aren't an issue with him, why should he have to say they are? Is it just because most of the players on the tour feel that way?

It was a childish and silly comment by Nadal. He is obviously frustrated, but to take that out on Federer is a bit ridiculous.

Nadal seems to now understand that he let his emotions take over in a situation where he shouldn't have. He backed off the comments a bit the following day. Nadal said he talked too much.

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Yesterday, you know, I started, and I say I don't want to talk anymore about this. Finally I talked too much—as usual. That's not gonna happen again

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Perhaps he should have called Tim Tebow to receive tutoring on responding appropriately in potentially hostile situations—Tebow is a master at that.

Meanwhile, Federer kept it classy from the beginning, offering this when approached by the media about their "feud."

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Things are fine between us, you know. I have no hard feelings...Back in the day he used to say: 'Whatever Roger decides, I'm fine with.' Today he's much more grown up. That he has a strong opinion also creates sometimes good arguments about where you want to move the sport forward to...We're always constantly trying to get on the same page, or at least talking about it, so we can do the best for the sport. That's at the end of the day both our goals.

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Nadal may have surpassed Roger on the court, but he still loses the match of maturity in straight sets.

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