"Silly to even question the merits of it being there" - Tennis fans hit out at journalists for disparaging comments on Rio Open

Tennis fans were unhappy with journalists picking on the 2023 Rio Open draw and suggesting that a hardcourt tournament would pull in more players instead.The ongoing Rio Open is an ATP 500 clay-court tournament being played from February 18-26 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.When the draw for the Rio Open was released, journalist Ben Rothenberg was less than excited about the same. He took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the ATP 500 tournament draw.&quot;Golly is this a soft ATP 500 draw.&quot; Rothenberg tweetedBen Rothenberg@BenRothenbergGolly is this a soft ATP 500 draw. twitter.com/drawstennis/st…Tennis Draws@DrawsTennisRio de Janeiro ATP 500 - Qualifiers placed2236Rio de Janeiro ATP 500 - Qualifiers placed https://t.co/bLFZEvyLqJGolly is this a soft ATP 500 draw. twitter.com/drawstennis/st…Journalist Jose Morgado also chimed in stating that a better set of players will not be available on clay in February. Nadal will not play 'The Golden Swing' again and Spanish player David Ferrer has also retired. 'The Golden Swing' refers to a cluster of clay court tournaments that rake in thousands of spectators. This makes it a jolly atmosphere synonymous with football rather than tennis.Morgado also suggested that if the tournament were moved to the Olympic park, the draw would be much better. The venue hosted the 2016 Olympics where tennis was played on hardcourts instead of on clay.&quot;Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much better&quot; Morgado suggestedJosé Morgado@josemorgado@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much better1081@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much betterRothenberg seemed to agree with Morgado, stating that he wished the draw was stronger.&quot;Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.&quot; he tweetedBen Rothenberg@BenRothenberg@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.33@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.However, fans fiercely defended the Rio Open being an ATP 500 tournament. They pointed out that the representation of the South American continent is anyway sparse on the tour. Fans also claimed that switching to hardcourts for every tournament takes away the diversity of the surfaces.See some of the fan reactions below:Bruno Beidacki@BrunoBeidacki@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Of course it should. If your clay-fearing fave players don’t want to make a trip to play in one of the best cities in the world, DURING CARNAVAL, it’s no one’s fault but theirs. No reason to punish those in South American by taking away the only ATP 500 in the swing.1167@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Of course it should. If your clay-fearing fave players don’t want to make a trip to play in one of the best cities in the world, DURING CARNAVAL, it’s no one’s fault but theirs. No reason to punish those in South American by taking away the only ATP 500 in the swing.donat@donato_bachello@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Tournaments like these are the perfect ones for hard-court grown players to improve their level on the same surface of a grand slam such as RG. Great players like Medvedev and others tend to be eliminated on early rounds for not taking clay seriously. It can perfectly be a 5009@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Tournaments like these are the perfect ones for hard-court grown players to improve their level on the same surface of a grand slam such as RG. Great players like Medvedev and others tend to be eliminated on early rounds for not taking clay seriously. It can perfectly be a 500Tennis In the Park 🇺🇦@TennisInthePar1@josemorgado @BenRothenberg The hardcourt complex already controls 70% of the tour. You want to erase the claycourt tradition of South America too?How about we make Estoril hardcourt too to make them all happy?40@josemorgado @BenRothenberg The hardcourt complex already controls 70% of the tour. You want to erase the claycourt tradition of South America too?How about we make Estoril hardcourt too to make them all happy?Tennis In the Park 🇺🇦@TennisInthePar1@josemorgado @BenRothenberg Alcaraz is literally playing there, and these tournaments are selling completely out. Good luck seeing that at Miami or Cincinnati.23@josemorgado @BenRothenberg Alcaraz is literally playing there, and these tournaments are selling completely out. Good luck seeing that at Miami or Cincinnati.Betty Scott 𓃵@Betty_A_Scott@josemorgado @BenRothenberg There are enough hard court tournaments -- it's probably 70% of the Tour. The SA clay court swing is fun. Leave it alone. Regardless of the field, the people show up.3@josemorgado @BenRothenberg There are enough hard court tournaments -- it's probably 70% of the Tour. The SA clay court swing is fun. Leave it alone. Regardless of the field, the people show up.sandy watson-steele@sandsws@josemorgado @BenRothenberg Please no. There’s too much hard court tennis already.10@josemorgado @BenRothenberg Please no. There’s too much hard court tennis already.JP 🇦🇷 ⭐⭐⭐@NardinPedro@josemorgado @BenRothenberg And if they move to football instead of tennis there will be more spectators 🙄.Clay tennis is part of our identity, no need to change that specially in a tour with so many hard court tournaments.9@josemorgado @BenRothenberg And if they move to football instead of tennis there will be more spectators 🙄.Clay tennis is part of our identity, no need to change that specially in a tour with so many hard court tournaments.Sighing_Vagabond@MikeEsule@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Tournament is right where it belongs. It's silly to even question the merits of it being there.2@BenRothenberg @josemorgado Tournament is right where it belongs. It's silly to even question the merits of it being there.Doris@Dorli_Wi@BenRothenberg And? South America deserves a 500 too and why not clay, too much of the tour is Hardcourt anyway, also just because players go for the bigger money its not less worth7@BenRothenberg And? South America deserves a 500 too and why not clay, too much of the tour is Hardcourt anyway, also just because players go for the bigger money its not less worthDivinity Mode@jake_michie@BenRothenberg It’s true BUT the South American clay tournaments are sooo good. Packed arenas every day, brilliant fans, fantastic early prep for RG. The Middle-East swing is dire so much is the time. Empty arenas, no atmosphere, totally casual fans. But money talks so…24@BenRothenberg It’s true BUT the South American clay tournaments are sooo good. Packed arenas every day, brilliant fans, fantastic early prep for RG. The Middle-East swing is dire so much is the time. Empty arenas, no atmosphere, totally casual fans. But money talks so…Carlos Navarro@TheMagician5GSAn exciting swing full of passionate fans who sell out the place every single day and Ben wants to downgrade its biggest tournament.Maybe you want to replace it with, I guess, another hard court tournament in the USA? 🤷&zwj;♂️ twitter.com/benrothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenberg@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.9711@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.An exciting swing full of passionate fans who sell out the place every single day and Ben wants to downgrade its biggest tournament.Maybe you want to replace it with, I guess, another hard court tournament in the USA? 🤷&zwj;♂️ twitter.com/benrothenberg/…Pablo Honey@honeypabs@TheMagician5GS And of the very few opportunities for South America to get the chance of hosting a major ATP tournament throughout the year.7@TheMagician5GS And of the very few opportunities for South America to get the chance of hosting a major ATP tournament throughout the year.afaduaislucia@afaduawritesMaybe if you ceased the narrative clay was an inferior surface more players would play the golden swing. Disrespecting an entire continent’s history by saying move it to hard courts but won’t dare say a thing about Wimby’s rules. twitter.com/josemorgado/st…José Morgado@josemorgado@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much better1081@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much betterMaybe if you ceased the narrative clay was an inferior surface more players would play the golden swing. Disrespecting an entire continent’s history by saying move it to hard courts but won’t dare say a thing about Wimby’s rules. twitter.com/josemorgado/st…chule is a World Cup winner@frenchopen2004clay is a tradition of south american tennis. the atp needs to find a way to respect south american tournaments.rio and buenos aires were SOLD OUT. we have a rich tennis history. we deserve better twitter.com/josemorgado/st…José Morgado@josemorgado@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much better13111@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much betterclay is a tradition of south american tennis. the atp needs to find a way to respect south american tournaments.rio and buenos aires were SOLD OUT. we have a rich tennis history. we deserve better twitter.com/josemorgado/st…Tennis In the Park 🇺🇦@TennisInthePar1Look at these two leading journalists conspiring about making South American tennis accept hardcourts!The South American events are sell-outs, while Miami has players sweating to death in front of half-full temporary bleachers.Tennis is dying from mediocrity on all levels. twitter.com/josemorgado/st…José Morgado@josemorgado@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much better468@BenRothenberg Almost impossible to have a better field on clay in February. Nadal will never play the golden swing again, Ferrer gone. They’ve got IMG and money. If they move to hardcourts (Olympic park) field will be much betterLook at these two leading journalists conspiring about making South American tennis accept hardcourts!The South American events are sell-outs, while Miami has players sweating to death in front of half-full temporary bleachers.Tennis is dying from mediocrity on all levels. twitter.com/josemorgado/st…Raduconnor 🏡@slay_suweiOfc Ben is trying to take the one big tournament in South America away from them twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenberg@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.163@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.Ofc Ben is trying to take the one big tournament in South America away from them 😤 twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…chule is a World Cup winner@frenchopen2004yes, it should be a 500. the ATP doesn't care about south america, and south americans shouldn't be punished and being left with NOTHING for something we dont have control over twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Ben Rothenberg@BenRothenberg@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.153@josemorgado Right, I just wonder if this should be a 500 if this is their field ceiling. Wish it were stronger, but this isn’t a one-off.yes, it should be a 500. the ATP doesn't care about south america, and south americans shouldn't be punished and being left with NOTHING for something we dont have control over twitter.com/BenRothenberg/…Austrian tennis star Dominic Thiem out of the Rio Open 2023Dominic Thiem at the World Tennis LeagueAustrian tennis star Dominic Thiem was hoping to make a comeback at the Rio Open this year following a wrist injury in 2021. He was out of action for eight months following the injury and has struggled to produce winning results since returning.The World No. 96 was ousted by Brazil's Thiago Monteiro in the Round of 32 in the Rio Open on Tuesday, February 21 with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(2).Thiem, who turned pro in 2011 has one Grand Slam under his belt - the 2020 US Open. He reached the Australian Open final in 2020 and the French Open final in 2018 and 2019. He reached a career-high ranking of No. 3 in 2020.Following his wrist injury, Thiem dropped out of the Top 300 rankings but managed to make it to the Top 100 towards the end of the 2022 season.

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