Relationships between players and umpires are just like any other relationship – they can be complicated.

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Which was clear when Rafael Nadal said – in perfect Ross and Rachel fashion – that him and Brazilian umpire Carlos Bernardes are effectively “on a break”.

Nadal had a problem with Bernardes during one of the Spaniard’s matches in Rio de Janeiro where he realised he had his shorts on the wrong way and asked the umpire to change them around. Bernardes said he could, but that he would get a time violation. 

That of course came after a series of regular disagreements between the pair.

Bernardes hasn’t umpired a Nadal match ever since and turns out that was because of a request made by the world No7 to the ATP.

“I respect Bernardes a lot. I consider him a great umpire and a good person, but I think when you have some troubles with the same umpire, sometimes it’s easy to stay for a while away, no?” said Nadal.

“I think that’s the real thing. I think it’s better for both of us if we are not in court at the same time for a while after what happened in Rio de Janeiro.

“I am not happy with that situation. That’s the first thing. Because I would love to have Bernardes on the court again. It will happen, but I think for both of us it is better to have a break.”

Shine bright like a diamond

So much can change in one year and Caroline Wozniacki can certainly attest to that, more than anyone else.

This time last year in Paris, the Dane had to talk to the media coming off a first round loss to Yanina Wickmayer and she made a statement at the start of her press conference – which was a full house – to address her split from world No1 golfer Rory McIlroy, who had broken off their engagement just a couple of weeks earlier.

This year, a happy and bubbly Wozniacki showed up to a far less crowded press conference room following her straight sets thrashing of Karin Knapp and her first reaction was: “wow, way less people in the room than last year,” she said laughing.

It’s great that a year on, Wozniacki is happy to joke about the whole situation.

“I like when there are people (in the interview room), but for like my play and not for other reasons,” she added smiling.

She later discussed her outfit for the fortnight saying: “I’m wearing yellow these weeks, so I think that contrasts well on to the clay. It kind of brightens it all up, even when it’s a grey day out there, I’m still shining bright.”

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