"It's dangerous for players, hopefully this tournament will never be held again" - Roberto Carballes Baena lashes out at 'sh*t' Chile Open conditions

Roberto Carballes Baena did not hold back with his comments after making an early exit at the 2024 Chile Open.

Seventh seed Carballes Baena lost 3-6, 7-5, 2-6 to French qualifier Corentin Moutet in the opening round at Santiago de Chile on Tuesday, February 27. After the match, the Spaniard said he was not happy with the conditions at the tournament.

Carballes Baena's match against Moutet ended well past midnight. The contest was marred by questionable court conditions, arguments with the referee, and the Spaniard getting a point penalty in the last game.

Carballes Baena later made his frustration clear as he called for the "sh*t" tournament to be taken off the ATP tour.

“What do you want me to tell you, that the tournament is sh*t? That on the court you can’t play? I think it’s a shame that an ATP is played on this court, I think it’s dangerous for the players. Hopefully this tournament will never be held again,” Roberto Carballes Baena told CLAY.

“This is not tennis, in the end this becomes the tombola. With fear all the time to get injured and with terrible bounces… and sometimes the ball doesn’t even bounce! I did feel that I could get injured. Every time I was forced I was afraid to tighten my leg because it was sinking all the time. In fact I ended up with discomfort in my back,” he added.

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“I’m embarrassing” - Roberto Carballes Baena on the manner of his defeat to Corentin Moutet in Chile

Roberto Carballes Baena at the 2023 US Open.

By beating Roberto Carballes Baena, Corentin Moutet registered his first win of the season. He got his 2024 season going earlier this month and lost in the opening rounds in Cordoba (qualifying) and Buenos Aires (qualifying). The Frenchman managed to win two qualifying rounds in Rio de Janeiro before losing in the first round of the main draw.

The conditions in Chile were not the best and they seemingly played a role in the outcome of Carballes Baena's clash with Moutet. At several points during the match, rallies ended as the ball went dead thanks to the unevenness of the court in certain areas.

That frustrated the Spaniard so much that he even kicked the towel box off the court at one point. He also turned to his coaching team and expressed his anger, saying (via CLAY):

“I’m being beaten by a guy who plays me slices in the middle. I’m embarrassing. I can’t take it anymore. I’m tired, I don’t know what to do.”