Dan Evans blasts Alejandro Fokina for expressing dissent over ATP refusing his rescheduling request

British tennis pro Dan Evans didn't hold back in his reaction to Alejandro Fokina’s public criticism of the ATP's scheduling decisions. Earlier on Thursday, July 31, Fokina publicly criticized the ATP after his match was assigned at 11:00 a.m. at the Canada Masters in Toronto.

Incidentally, Fokina's match on Friday, August 1, will start an hour and a half earlier than the remaining matches at the tournament, which will begin at 12:30 p.m. onwards. Shortly after Fokina's public outburst, Evans mocked the Spaniard on Instagram. The British veteran wrote:

"Wake up an play. The world wakes up an works 9–5 even 8–6. Pathetic."

Fokina will play against Jakub Mensik on Friday. He defeated Corentin Moutet, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round of the National Bank Open earlier.

Why is Alejandro Fokina unhappy with ATP scheduling?

Alejandro Fokina is upset with the constant, abrupt scheduling of ATP, a growing dissent among players as well. Fokina, whose match starts much earlier than the rest of the players, said he finds it unfair for him and his team, who are staying an hour away from the tournament venue.

He wrote in his Instagram story:

"Today, I want to share my disappointment and frustration with ATP. Tomorrow, every match starts at 12:30 except ours, which has been scheduled at 11:00. We are staying one hour away from the club, which means we have to wake up extremely early to arrive in good condition. We have asked for a change, but the answer was that everything has already been sold, including tickets and TV rights."

"Once again, it's clear that players are not taken into consideration. Today, it happens to others, tomorrow it's me, and from the day after, all matches return to 12:30. There are plenty of available courts, and yet we are the only ones playing at 11:00," he continued.

Fokina took further shots at ATP, saying they always promise things but have never fixed things. He added:

"The ATP always promises they will fix things, but nothing ever changes. This is not the first time it has happened, and when you are inside, you realize it's not as great as it looks from the outside."

Several other players, including American pro Taylor Fritz, share Alejandro Fokina's discontent with ATP scheduling. It remains to be seen if ATP can ensure that the scheduling doesn't affect the players in the near future.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar