Nadal angry about doping allegations

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Rafael Nadal was less than happy when doping allegations came up yet again concerning him. While no official accusation has been made, this instance seemed to be in reference to the doping scandal that took out many competitors in the Tour de France earlier this summer. Initially, reports suggested Nadal's name was on the list of recipients of drugs, but that was later denied.

But the question re-emerged at a pre-U.S. Open press conference yesterday when a reporter asked Nadal if he was still being questioned about drugs in sports.

The 20-year-old flashed a bit of the fiery nature for which he is known on the court, saying it was "stupid" to bring up the subject and that some "crazy guy" had made it up.

"I know that's not true," Nadal said vehemently. "You know that's not true. I have 17 controls (for) anti-doping every year, so that's stupid to say anything without ... information."

Reports of doping have been in the news in various sports over the past few months, from Tour de France winner Floyd Landis being stripped of his title to Justin Gatlin receiving an eight-year ban from track and field. Tennis has remained mostly free from suspicion, although there have been a few players slapped with drug-related suspensions recently, including Argentines Mariano Puerta and Guillermo Canas.

"There's been too much of it happening, I guess," Lleyton Hewitt said. "That's why it keeps getting headlines ... obviously, all the other sports are trying to do their best to keep their sport clean, and it's the same in tennis." NJ.com