Rafael Nadal said he's sick and tired of being targeted by doping rumors.
Now, he may be ready to make his case in court.
Watch: Rafa Denies Doping
Toni Nadal, Rafa's uncle and coach, says the 14-time Grand Slam champion may take legal action over a recent allegation.
In an interview with RAC1 radio, Toni Nadal blasted claims Roselyne Bachelot, former French secretary of sport, made on the French TV program Le Grand 8.
Bachelot reportedly alleged Nadal's break from tennis in 2012 was "without any doubt because he tested positive (for a banned substance)" rather than due to injury.
"I'm surprised anyway when people in the street say it, but for a former official to say it seems incredible to me," Toni Nadal told RAC1. "I don't know what motives this lady has in saying this, but it's obvious that she does not know tennis or the sport world."
Nadal may sue over the allegations.
"Rafa's lawyer is working to take all possible measures and with maximum force. In this world, instead of proving the guilt of a person, you have to prove your innocence," Toni Nadal said. "This woman is a fool. Rafa goes through many [doping] controls every year even though he has done nothing and will do nothing wrong. He believes in a clean sport.
"Having made the case of Sharapova public, why don't they do the same with him if they are so sure? It's strange."
Following his Wimbledon second-round ouster by then world No. 100 Lukas Rosol in 2012, Nadal pulled the plug on his season due to a left knee injury.
Returning from a seven-month absence, Nadal claimed 10 titles in 14 finals in 2013, concluding the season as the year-end No. 1. He became the first man to finish as world No. 1 after a three-year absence from the top spot.
This week at Indian Wells, Nadal vehemently denied he has ever used any performance enhancing drugs.
In a recent interview with AS.com, Toni Nadal said the nine-time Roland Garros is physically fit and motivated. The challenge his nephew faces is learning to shorten points to adapt to a more aggressive baseline game, Toni Nadal said.
"It’s been 10 years since 2005, when he won his first Grand Slam, but Rafa is in good shape physically," Toni Nadal told AS.com. "In Rio, against Cuevas, he coped well in the third set of a long, tough match. He still has the desire.
"Rafa has always been a strategic player, not one who wins points directly with his serve or return. That has changed [in the game]. In Australia, 70 percent of the points were won in four or fewer shots. We have had to adjust. And Rafa was doing it well, we were at a high level in London, Abu Dhabi and Doha… just when this current run started."
Asked if Rafa is considering hiring a former champion coach as Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka have, Toni Nadal replied "please, I don't know how many times I have to keep saying it."
"Does anyone remember today who John McEnroe’s coach was? No," Toni Nadal said. "Here we have a team, a collective responsibility. From the most responsibility to the least, we are Francis Roig, Toni Nadal and Rafa Nadal. Between 2005 and 2014, between us we did a lot of things that worked out well… and that now are not working for whatever reason. We feel that we are close. And we will carry on trying."
Photo credit: China Open