"I am going to try to prevent it from happening": Rafael Nadal wants to stop gay people facing problems in Saudi Arabia by leaving impact in the country

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has stated that he is hoping to create an environment in Saudia Arabia where gay people will not face any problems.

The Middle Eastern country, over the years, remained extremely conservative in their views about same-sex marriages or relationships.

While the leadership is eager to change its image globally by initiating more efforts in bringing different categories of events into the country including some high-profile sporting events, there has been no leniency shown by the authorities about matters related to LGBTQ+ status.

Nadal is one of the most high-profile players to have been approached by Saudia Arabia to start bringing high-profile tennis activities to the country.

The 37-year-old is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.

Nadal has been recently quoted in a report where he expressed optimism about changing the perception of gays in Saudi Arabia over the course of the next 10 years.

“In my Academy he won't have problems, in the country I don't know,” he said. “The problem is that this happens but the reality is that I am going to try to prevent it from happening.

“Things cannot be changed from today to tomorrow, the objective is that this is not debated in six, eight or ten years and that I can contribute to ensuring that it is not talked about in a few years. If it doesn't happen, I'll be disappointed.”