Ex-chair umpire confesses: “Nadal made me nervous” – CSN News

Ex-chair umpire reveals just how tough it was to officiate Rafa Nadal: “He was always on the edge – I really felt for him”.

Spanish chair umpire Jaume Campistol, who stepped away from professional tennis officiating in 2024, has opened up about the challenges of refereeing Rafael Nadal – and it turns out he didn’t exactly enjoy it. Speaking to Mundo DeportivoCampistol admits: “He made my really nervous.”

“Because I’m Spanish too, we didn’t have the opportunity to umpire each other very often. He was always honest and humble, but I didn’t like officiating his matches – I’d get really nervous about the time violations”, said Jaume.

Over a 15-year career that saw him officiate a staggering 2,318 matches – including appearances at four Olympic Games and seven Grand Slam finals – Campistol became one of the most respected figures in the game. This year, he was honoured at the Barcelona Open (Godó) for his contributions to the sport.

He added, “He would always push it to the limits and I felt bad because sometimes he didn’t make it on time and I had to penalise”.

Though Nadal has been retired for a few months now, opinions about the legendary Spaniard still pour in – and they likely will for years to come. Nadal is the undisputed king of Roland-Garros with 14 titles. Campistol (now 37) is the latest to offer his opinion on the Manacor native.

Despite his impressive CV and having achieved the sport’s highest umpiring status – the gold badge – Campistol admitted he found officiating Nadal particularly nerve-wracking.

“That’s the job of the umpire, though – you’ve got to stick to the rules. It made me feel tense to be so strict. We always told him that if others could stick to time rules, then you had to learn to adjust too.

Rafael Nadal has been hailed as one of tennis’ greatest players. He turned professional as a 15-year-old in Mallorca. His trademarks included speed, grit and a forehand that was heavy on topspin.

Nadal won 22 Grand Slams titles, including 14 French Opens records, earning him his nickname, “King Clay.” Nadal is known for both his fierceness and humility. On and off the tennis court, he’s won Olympic golds in singles, doubles, as well has played an important role in several Davis Cup victories.

Injury often hampered his career but his fighting spirit and resilience made him an icon of sport around the world.