SUMMARY
- The Chile Open has come under fire for its poor playing conditions.
- A video online shows the extent to which the court is unfit for playing.
The ATP tour is currently in South America, and the tournaments have been spectacular so far. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Chile Open, which has come under fire for poor playing conditions. The clay courts in Santiago are below par, and even the players have started complaining about it.
So far, the courts have performed well below the standards of the tour. There has been inconsistent and uneven bounce, and on occasion, the ball even died after landing on the surface. Moreover, players have taken nasty falls while playing.
Recently, a video showing the court conditions in Santiago surfaced on social media. The clip is from the qualifying rounds of the ATP 250 event. It shows two players engaged in a rally, but the ball dropped and came to a stop, putting a swift end to the game.
Players have been complaining about the conditions at the ATP 250 event in Santiago this week.
The ball literally dies the second it hits the clay.
Making players compete in conditions like this at the professional level is absurd.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 27, 2024
Fans have also joined in on bashing the tournament since the conditions are unfit for professionals. One user wondered why the ATP does not hold Masters tournaments in South America, referring to recent calls made for the same. Another fan claimed that it “looks like beach tennis.” Here are a few reactions to the post.
Sheesh! I wonder why there aren’t any masters events in South America??
— Gaelen (@GaelenBet) February 27, 2024
looks like beach tennis 😂
— Paladin77 (@AL881977) February 27, 2024
There is mounting pressure on the Chile Open organizers to make changes as the tournament progresses. Hopefully, they will heed the complaints of the players.
Players criticized the conditions at the Chile Open
Rising Brazilian star Joao Fonseca was also involved in a scary incident during his match. He was playing against Thiago Augustin Tirante in the round of 32 when he slipped and fell during a rally. Fonseca was chasing the ball when his foot got stuck in the clay, and he took a tumble.
Olha o absurdo na quadra do ATP do Chile . João Fonseca levou um baita tombo no jogo pic.twitter.com/qIbMwgui6a
— Thiago Alves (@thiagoalvescar) February 27, 2024
“The players are not happy, but I will not speak for others, I speak for myself: the court is very loose and we run the risk of injury. Even though there are no stones, when you slide at the back of the court there is like a pit, then when you run out you get stuck to go for a drop shot or another ball,” said Tirante after defeating Fonseca (via Clay Tenis).
The director of the Chile Open addressed the concerns of the players. Hopefully, the work to improve the conditions of the center court will pay off soon.