"Make Rafael Nadal smaller so he can make more space for a clown who hasn't an inch of respect for the sport" - Tennis fans criticize the Rolex Paris Masters 2022's entry list feature picture

From October 31 to November 6 this year, the indoor hard courts of the AccorHotels Arena in Paris-Bercy will host the Rolex Paris Masters. The organizers recently made the official entry list public, naming star players like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz (the current world No. 1) and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The star-studded tournament, which also features Nick Kyrgios, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Matteo Berrettini and Gael Monfils, also unveiled a promo picture - in which the controversial Kyrgios occupies a large amount of space. On the other hand, 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal occupies very little space, much to the displeasure of tennis fans on Twitter.

One user outright criticized the officials for their actions and called Nick Kyrgios a "clown who won absolutely nothing and hasn't an inch of respect for the sport."

Another person criticized the players chosen for the poster, claiming that several of them had poor records in Paris and that Nick Kyrgios had previously "snubbed" the tournament.

Another user criticized the decision to leave out Russians from the poster and complained that it would be difficult to locate Rafael Nadal without binoculars.

Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz make history as world's top two players

On Monday, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal became the first Spanish tennis pair to be ranked first and second in the ATP rankings, thus inscribing their names into tennis history.

This is also the first time in 22 years that two players from the same country have topped the rankings.

At the age of 19 years, four months and six days, Carlos Alcaraz became the youngest No. 1 in history after taking home the maiden Grand Slam of his career at the US Open in September.

Nadal, meanwhile, has returned to the top-2 of the rankings for the first time since May 2021. Casper Ruud, the former No. 2 in the world, lost to Yoshihito Nishioka in the Korea Open quarterfinals, allowing Nadal to move up to second as a result.

About the author

Pritha is one of the driving forces behind Sportskeeda's tennis coverage, serving as an assistant content manager and editor. What began as a casual escape from her tiring biotechnology degree course in early 2022 has blossomed into a passion she loves, cherishes, and breathes every day.

Pritha’s love for the sport was spawned by her dad who showed her clips of "GOAT" Steffi Graf’s matches. Despite a thwarted dream of playing professionally due to injury, she finds solace in reporting the sport, while also mentoring other writers to ensure every article is error-free and top-notch. She double-checks credible sources, such as the tournament/player handles and big tennis media outlets, and gives proper credit where required.

Pritha's journey at Sportskeeda is marked by more than 2000 articles and close to 16 million views, with the "dream-come-true" moment of having her article shared by Chris Evert serving as a highlight of her career. A lifelong Wimbledon fan, Pritha also adores Rafael Nadal, Elena Rybakina, and Naomi Osaka.

When she's not seeking unique angles to elevate tennis coverage at Sportskeeda, she loves to channel her inner astrophysics "nerd" by exploring new sci-fi series and movies. A big Lionel Messi, Lewis Hamilton, and Randy Orton fan, she is always ready to engage in sports conversations anytime, anywhere, albeit not without a cup of coffee.

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