Rafael Nadal sympathizes with players serving hard quarantine in Melbourne, but urges those complaining about quarantine conditions to show "a wider perspective."

In a TV interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday, Nadal said it's human nature to gripe about quarantine, but said players must consider the state of the world during this Coronavirus pandemic.

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"I feel very sorry for all of them but when we came here, we knew that the measures were going to be strict because we knew that the country is doing great with the pandemic," Nadal told Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday. "It's normal to complain [...] but on the other hand you see how many are dying around the world. You see how many people are losing their father, their mum, without having the chance to say goodbye. "It's a real thing, not a philosophical thing, that's real life. That's what's happening in my country. Close people to me are suffering this situation."

The second-ranked Spaniard has been training in the Adelaide bubble which is more forgiving than the hard quarantine in Melbourne where players are not permitted to leave their hotel rooms.

Nadal and fellow stars Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Simona Halep are permitted to leave their rooms and train for five hours a day in Adelaide.

While several players confined to hard quarantine in Melbourne expressed appreciation for world No. 1 Djokovic submitting a list of suggestions to Tennis Australia on their behalf, some Melbourne residents, including those who served 111 days of hard lockdown, did not appreciate the public griping from some players.



Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Nadal told CNN "the world is suffering" and players must adapt to this new normal.

"It's a different situation than usual, it's much more sad for everyone," Nadal told CNN. "But at least we're here, we're going to have a chance to play here. The world is suffering in general, so we can't complain.

"I feel that we are privileged people today, having the chance to keep doing our jobs."

The Australian Open begins on February 8th. Nadal, who defeated rival Roger Federer to win his lone AO title in 2009, is playing for his record-extending 21st major championship. Hsays the drive for 21 is motivating but not an obsession. 

"I did much more than what I ever dreamed in my tennis career," said Nadal. "It would be amazing for me to win one more. But I know that will not be the key for my happiness in the future. It's not extra pressure and it's not an obsession.

"I keep going, doing it my way. If it happens, fantastic, but if not, I'm more than happy about everything that happened to me."

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