Tennis Controversies of the Week: Emma Raducanu comes under fire over Abu Dhabi Open wildcard; Rafael Nadal’s honorary doctorate triggers 'unrest,' and more

British tennis star Emma Raducanu came under scrutiny after securing the Abu Dhabi Open main draw wildcard upgrade. In other news, the University of Salamanca caused an uproar over its decision to honor Rafael Nadal with a doctorate.

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner came under fire for declining a meeting with the Italian President Mattarella, following the Australian Open win. Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni received backlash for doubting the authenticity of Novak Djokovic's Australian Open injury

Also, the Italian tennis chief landed in hot water after claiming that Jannik Sinner was far superior to Carlos Alcaraz.

On that note, here's a recap of the top tennis controversies from last week:

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Emma Raducanu’s Abu Dhabi Open wildcard upgrade sparked controversy

Emma Raducanu faced backlash after her qualifying wildcard for the Abu Dhabi Open was upgraded to a main draw spot just a day before the event. Raducanu, who was set to compete in qualifiers for the first time since 2021, bypassed the queue.

Tennis journalist James Gray revealed that Raducanu's main draw wildcard for the Abu Dhabi Open happened due to "movement in the entry lists."

However, after speaking with the tournament organizers, Gray clarified that the wildcard upgrade was due to Ashlyn Krueger's withdrawal, who had initially received a main draw wildcard. This allowed Krueger's original wildcard spot to be freed and given to Raducanu.

"Had a useful clarification on this for fans of entry list chess... Ashlyn Krueger got in on her ranking after withdrawals, so didn't need a wildcard after all. As such, one was freed up, and offered to Emma Raducanu instead. (The result of course is the same!)," he wrote in a post on X.

Emma Raducanu will take on World No. 7 Marketa Vondrusova in the first round on February 4, 2025. The winner of this match will face fourth-seed Yulia Putintseva in the second round.

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Rafael Nadal’s honorary doctorate from Spanish university triggered backlash

Rafael Nadal sparked controversy after being awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Salamanca (USAL).

The doctors from USAL voted on January 27, with 177 in favor and 34% opposing, making Nadal eligible for the distinction. Microbiologist Emmanuelle Charpentier, also nominated, received 263 votes in favor with only two against.

Critics pointed out Nadal's lack of academic achievements and limited connection to the university as reasons for opposing the decision. Jose Manuel Corchado, who led the voting session, came under heavy criticism for supporting Nadal's nomination.

"The decision has caused a lot of commotion and unrest. It is a whim to try to appear in the media for other more edifying issues [than the criticism of Corchado’s maneuvers]. In reality, it achieves the opposite, stirring up the unrest that was still more or less latent and further damaging the national image of the university," university sources said, via El Pais.

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Jannik Sinner sparked uproar with his decision to skip meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella

In Picture: Jannik Sinner during the 2025 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Jannik Sinner caused a stir after declining his invitation to the Quirinale, the presidential residence, due to unknown reasons, after successfully defending his Australian Open title last month.

The Quirinale hosted a celebration honoring Italian tennis achievements including the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, and individual successes like Lorenzo Musetti’s Olympic bronze.

The parliament shared a video featuring stars such as Matteo Berrettini, Jasmine Paolini, Angelo Binaghi, and Sara Errani meeting President Sergio Mattarella. However, Sinner’s absence from the prestigious event fueled speculation.

According to Italian outlets La Repubblica and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sinner reportedly skipped the ceremony to rest after three intense weeks in Australia.

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Tennis legend Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni faced backlash for questioning Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open injury

Rafael Nadal’s uncle, Toni Nadal, faced criticism for doubting the severity of Novak Djokovic’s injury during the 2025 Australian Open. Djokovic was forced to retire from his semifinal match against eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev due to a muscle tear in his upper left leg.

After Djokovic’s withdrawal, speculation arose about the legitimacy of his injury. Among those skeptical was Toni Nadal, who questioned the discrepancy between Djokovic’s on-court performance and the reported severity of his condition.

"On more than one occasion we have seen Novak with similar performances, with facial gestures and body language that contradict what we are seeing on the court and that sow certain doubts about the authenticity of his problems," Toni Nadal said (via El Pais, translated from Spanish).

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Italian tennis chief received flak over bold Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz comparison

Italian Tennis Federation's Chief, Angelo Binaghi, faced backlash for claiming that Jannik Sinner is significantly superior to Carlos Alcaraz. He asserted that Sinner was the best men's player on hard courts and predicted that he would dominate clay as well.

Following Sinner’s successful Australian Open victory, Binaghi praised the 23-year-old and the rise of Italian men’s tennis. He insisted that Sinner is “much stronger” than the four-time Grand Slam singles champion.

"It's very clear now, we are the strongest nation in the world. We are number 1. I always thought that Sinner was in perspective much stronger than Alcaraz and that his real rival would be Zverev, very fearsome on fast surfaces," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. (translated from Italian)

Carlos Alcaraz will compete as a top seed at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam, facing Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round on February 3, 2025. In contrast, Jannik Sinner decided not to defend his title in Rotterdam due to fatigue from his Australian Open campaign. He is expected to make his debut at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, starting February 17.