Alejandro Davidovich Fokina found himself at the center of controversy after criticizing the ATP’s scheduling decisions at the Canadian Open. The Spanish tennis player’s frustration over being given an 11:00 a.m. start time while all other matches began at 12:30 p.m. sparked debate across the tennis world.
One of his fellow players didn’t take kindly to Davidovich Fokina’s remarks and responded with a pointed suggestion online.
Dan Evans Responds Harshly to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina’s Criticism of ATP at Canadian Open
Davidovich Fokina started his campaign in Toronto on a high note, outfoxing France’s Corentin Moutet 6-4, 6-3 in the second round. However, his momentum was overshadowed by the scheduling controversy that erupted when the Spaniard discovered his third-round clash with 12th seed Jakub Menšík was slated for 11:00 a.m. on Friday.
The timing appeared particularly unfair given that Davidovich Fokina was the only player scheduled before 12:30 p.m. that day. The frustration boiled over when Davidovich Fokina took to his Instagram story to voice his concerns. He didn’t mince words about the situation.
“Today I want to share my disappointment and frustration with the ATP,” he wrote. “Tomorrow, every match starts at 12:30, except ours, which has been scheduled at 11:00. We’re staying one hour away from the club, which means we have to wake up extremely early to arrive in good condition.”
The Spanish player revealed that his team had requested a schedule change, but tournament officials declined their request. Officials cited prior ticket sales and existing TV rights agreements as constraints that prevented any modifications.
“Once again, it’s clear that players are not taken into consideration,” Davidovich Fokina added. “Today it happened to others, tomorrow it’s me, and from the day after, all matches return to 12:30. There are plenty of available courts, yet we’re the only ones playing at 11:00.”
British World No. 129 Dan Evans wasn’t having any of it. He reposted the Spaniard’s Instagram story and delivered a scathing response that quickly went viral.
“Wake up and play,” Evans wrote. “The world wakes up an works 9-5 even 8-6 pathetic.”
Beyond the immediate scheduling dispute, Davidovich Fokina used his platform to highlight what he sees as deeper systemic problems within the ATP.
“The ATP always promises they’ll fix things, but nothing ever changes,” he wrote. “This isn’t the first time it happens, and when you’re inside, you realize it’s not as great as it looks from the outside.”
✅ Gran victoria de Davidovich Fokina 🇪🇸 en los CF de Eastbourne 🇬🇧 vs Mensik 🇨🇿 por 6-4 y 7-5.
4° Semifinal de 2025 🔥
Vamos Foki ⛏️💪🏻pic.twitter.com/lLNQa6hlsW
— Siete-Seis 🎾 (@SieteSeisTenis) June 26, 2025
Despite the controversy swirling around him, Davidovich Fokina remained focused on his tennis. The Spaniard is determined to make his mark in the tournament, with his next challenge coming against rising talent Jakub Menšík.
Going into their match, Davidovich Fokina holds a commanding 3-1 lead in their head-to-head record, having won their last three encounters.
