PARIS(AP) Rafael Nadal called on the International Tennis Federation to stick up for players against the World Anti-Doping Agency's out-of-competition drug-testing rules.
Nadal has criticized the rule in the past, and did so again Friday at the French Open.
I know that drugs is not an easy matter to deal with, but we've paid the price for this,'' Nadal said through a tournament translator.And, in fact, the ITF should take measures. I don't have the impression that it's good to put so much pressure on us. They harass us, I think.''
A new WADA rule says athletes must say where they will be for one hour each day, so they can be found for testing. Serena Williams is among the tennis players who say that's too invasive, and Nadal complained that it's tough to keep WADA updated on his whereabouts.
``The ITF should do something about it,'' Nadal said.
It's not nice they are at your room at 8 in the morning. They call you and say, 'We are here,' and you have two more hours for sleep, no?'' Nadal said.That's not nice.''
Nadal also backed his pal, Richard Gasquet, a promising French player who allegedly tested positive for cocaine.
OK, Gasquet has been tested. I support him. I'm certain that he's not taking anything. He's not taking cocaine,'' Nadal said.I know him. He's a good friend of mine, and I discussed this with him last week.
``No, no, impossible. He's most certainly not taking cocaine. ... If you kiss a girl who's taken cocaine, anything can happen, and that's the truth. That's reality, and this can destroy your life or your career, rather, and this is most unfair.''
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DEFENDING A TITLE: If Ana Ivanovic is right, the other women still in the French Open should be concerned about facing her.
The defending champion and 2007 runner-up believes she is even better this year.
I improved a lot of areas of my game,'' the eighth-seeded Ivanovic said Friday after advancing to the fourth round by beating Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-2.I added some things, and I feel more comfortable coming forward.''
That could be bad news for top-seeded Dinara Safina, Ivanovic's likely quarterfinal opponent and the woman who lost to her in last year's final at Roland Garros.
Ivanovic was taken to a tiebreaker in her opening match on Sunday, but has lost only eight games since. Against the 32nd-seeded Benesova, the Serb didn't appear to be troubled at all, although she was broken once.
I just played really good and stayed in the moment and did what I had to do out there,'' Ivanovic said.I feel physically fit and ready to handle any kind of opponent.''
Safina, meanwhile, has been nearly perfect, winning her first match 6-0, 6-0, her second 6-1, 6-1, and then beating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia 6-2, 6-0 in the third round.
``I know if I'm dominant, it's not easy to handle my level,'' Safina said.