Tennis star Rafael Nadal issued proceedings on Monday (25th April) against former French sports minister Rosalyne Bachelot who claimed that his absence from the 2012 French Open was "probably due to a positive doping test."

Rafael Nadal filed a lawsuit on Monday against a former French minister who accused him of doping, saying he needs to defend his integrity and image as an athlete.

The Spanish tennis star said his lawyers lodged the defamation suit in Paris against Roselyne Bachelot because of her "offensive remarks" on French television last month.

Bachelot, France's former minister for health and sport, said on TV show Le Grand 8 that the Spaniard's seven-month injury hiatus in 2012 was "probably due to a positive doping test."

Bachelot's allegations came in the wake of Maria Sharapova's failed doping test.

According to Spanish media, Nadal's coach and uncle, Toni Nadal, has since labelled the former minister "an imbecile."

After a disappointing 2015, Nadal has bounced back to form with wins in the Monte Carlo Masters and last weekend in the ATP 500 tournament in Barcelona.