Fans back Nadal amid sexism row after ace says he’s ‘a little bit more’ than women’s no.1 Barty

Fans have defended Rafael Nadal after he risked a sexism row by saying he is “a little bit more” than women’s world no. 1 Ashleigh Barty, as the Spanish ace was given Wimbledon Centre Court billing while Barty played on Court 2.

Third seed Nadal took center stage at the All England Club on Monday as he swept aside Portugal’s Joao Sousa in straight sets to reach the quarterfinal.

Meanwhile, women’s top seed Barty was shunted out to Court 2 – the third biggest stage at Wimbledon – as she suffered a shock defeat to unfancied American Alison Riske.

After his match, Nadal was asked his thoughts on whether it was right that he had been handed a Centre Court draw as world number two, while Barty was sidelined to a lesser stage.

“I am the world No. 2 and I won 18 Grand Slams. My answer is not no or yes. My answer is they make a decision,” the Spaniard, 33, replied.  

“You are putting Ashleigh Barty in front of me. For me, both decisions are good.

“In the world of tennis today, honestly, my feeling is today I am little bit more than Ashleigh Barty,” the two-time Wimbledon winner added.

“Even if Ashleigh Barty is the first player of the world and she already won in the French Open and she is playing unbelievably good.”

He added: “We can’t create polemics every single day about decisions that they have to take. At the end of the day they have to make a decision.”

Barty, 23, did not appear bothered by her appearance on a smaller stage, saying: “It’s a beautiful court. I enjoyed my time out there.”

But for some online, the decision of the organizers – and Nadal’s subsequent comments – did not sit well.   

But others have rushed to Nadal’s defense, claiming that any outrage is confected and that the Spaniard, as an 18-time Grand Slam winner, was merely stating facts that he is the bigger drawn for fans than Barty.

Others accused journalists of attempting to twist Nadal’s words, and asking him questions that they would never put to fellow generational great Roger Federer, who also appeared on Centre Court on Monday.

Nadal is next in action at Wimbledon on Wednesday, when he faces unseeded American Sam Querrey in the last eight.

The Spaniard is still on course for a blockbuster semifinal match with long-time rival Federer, who faces eighth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan in his quarterfinal.