Fernando Verdasco wants to sue French Open over 'false positive' coronavirus test

Spaniard and former top-10 player Fernando Verdasco has told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that he wants to sue the French Open over the alleged "false positive" coronavirus test result that caused him to be dropped from this year's tournament. 

"Yes, evidently I want [to sue]," the 36-year-old said on Monday, per Reuters (h/t ESPN). "No one can believe that a tournament such as Roland Garros can do this, it cannot be like this. 

"This isn't about money, it's about the damage that has been done to me personally and professionally."

Damir Dzumhur previously said he wishes to sue after he was excluded from the French Open because his coach tested positive. 

Reuters added that a rule approved last Friday allowed expelled players to appeal that decision if they could prove they'd already had COVID-19 and, thus, were no longer deemed contagious by French Open officials. 

Verdasco, who previously explained that he had the virus in August but was asymptomatic, told Cadena Ser this rule amendment angered him and that he wasn't sure if he would play again this year. He said:

"They [French Open organizers] do whatever they like, with no coherence and no respect."

"The rights of the players count for nothing. You can imagine my anger, it's incredible, they showed a huge lack of respect to a player who has spent the last 16 years competing at Roland Garros.

"And then the next day, after I have been left out of the draw, they change the rules and now you can do a second test. That was the final straw."

Last week, Verdasco claimed he returned negative "unofficial" results after learning of the positive test that cost him his spot in the French Open, and that requests for official retesting were denied.