Rafael Nadal: I deserved Centre Court spot at Wimbledon over world no.1 Ashleigh Barty

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Jonathan Veal8 July 2019

Rafael Nadal insists he was worthy of his place on Centre Court ahead of women's top seed Ashleigh Barty on manic Monday at Wimbledon.

The Spaniard breezed through to the quarter-finals with victory over Joao Sousa while Barty was a surprise loser to Alison Riske on Court Two.

The second Monday is a notoriously difficult day for the tournament organisers as all last-16 games in both the men's and the women's draws have to be scheduled.

That saw Barty shunted to the outpost on Two and Nadal was quizzed on it after his match by a journalist, who suggested that because the Australian was the world number one she might have been picked to play on Centre.

"I am the world two and I won 18 grand slams," Nadal retorted.

"My answer is not no or yes. My answer is they make a decision.

"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, 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."

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