Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s Frustration
In a recent social media post, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina expressed his frustration regarding the scheduling of his match at the 2025 Canadian Open, claiming it was an unjust arrangement. His remarks sparked a strong reaction from fellow ATP player Daniel Evans, who criticized him for his complaints.
Match Scheduling Controversy
Davidovich Fokina had just come off a hard-fought final at the 2025 Citi Open, where he narrowly lost to Alex de Minaur in a tense tiebreaker. Showing resilience, he secured a win against Corentin Moutet shortly afterward, leading to a matchup with Jakub Mensik. However, the timing of this next match left the Spanish player infuriated.
The match, set for 11 a.m., was scheduled significantly earlier than other bouts that day, all starting at 12:30 p.m. Davidovich Fokina highlighted that this would require him and his team to wake up unusually early, which he found unacceptable.
“It’s disappointing to have our match at this time, especially when we have requested a change. The response was that most logistical arrangements were already decided, leaving the players disregarded,”
he lamented in his online statement. He further emphasized that while other matches would return to more convenient times, his match being at 11:00 was a point of contention that should not have occurred.
Daniel Evans’ Response
In stark contrast to Davidovich Fokina’s sentiments, Evans took to Instagram to deride the complaints as overblown, suggesting that many people work irregular hours and still manage to perform efficiently.
“Wake up and play. The world wakes up 9-5 even 8-6. Pathetic,”
he remarked, reflecting a belief that professional athletes should be able to handle match scheduling without issue.
Broader Implications
Evans’s perspective echoes a larger discussion within the ATP regarding the demanding nature of the tour schedule and players’ concerns about adequate rest. Many, like Taylor Fritz, suggest a need for a shorter season to allow for recovery. While it’s understandable that athletes might feel aggrieved about timing and scheduling, Evans’s comments resonated with fans who believe that a morning match is a rather routine aspect of professional tennis.
Even though players have reason to express concerns, such as Alexander Zverev and Jenson Brooksby who faced an exceptionally late finish in their 2022 Mexican Open match, criticisms over a standard start time like 11 a.m. appear to miss the mark for many observers of the sport. Players may face adversity, but they also need to adapt, much like Coco Gauff did when she overcame a challenging performance to win her opening round at the Canadian Open despite numerous double faults.
