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Rafael Nadal's uncle and former tennis coach Toni drew criticism following Felix Auger-Aliassime's disclosure about the Spaniard not being a full-time member of his coaching team. In other news, Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero received backlash for his persistent mid-match guidance.
Meanwhile, the ATP met with criticism for the introduction of a revised doubles format. Jiri Lehecka and tennis journalist David Law received flak for criticizing Pedro Cachin's request for Rafael Nadal's shirt following their third-round match in Madrid.
Also, Madrid Open director Feliciano Lopez came under fire for his response to Ons Jabeur's sexism complaints. Jelena Ostapenko received backing over her frosty handshake with Jabeur after the Madrid Open controversy.
On that note, here's a recap of top tennis controversies from last week:
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Rafael Nadal's uncle Toni received criticism following Felix Auger-Aliassime's statement on his limited role in the coaching team
Felix Auger-Aliassime disclosed that Rafael Nadal's uncle and former coach Toni, no longer travels with his team. While Nadal's involvement since April 2021 helped Auger-Aliassime reach a year-end ATP ranking of No. 6 in the following year, his performance dipped in 2023.
Auger-Aliassime has since regained form, attributing his recent success at the Madrid Open partly to his father Sam's presence. However, the Canadian also disclosed that Toni Nadal is no longer actively traveling with him.
"Until further notice, Toni, we’re still in touch but he’s not like actively part of the team like travelling and with me," Felix Auger-Aliassime told Express. "But he was always a good voice, good [to] add let’s say somebody from the outside that has experience. But he’s not actively with us this week."
Fans celebrated the news on social media and also criticized the Spanish coach for not fully committing to the Canadian player.
Carlos Alcaraz’s coach Juan Carlos Ferrero faced backlash for frequent on-court coaching
Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero faced backlash for repeatedly coaching him during his Madrid Open quarterfinal match, which he lost 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to eventual champion Andrey Rublev. A video posted on social media showed Carlos Ferrero being very expressive in Alcaraz’s box during the match, actively attempting to assist him throughout the match.
Watch the video below:
Tennis fans expressed their disapproval of Ferrero on social media for incessantly trying to control Alcaraz’s actions on the court.
In other news, Carlos Alcaraz recently withdrew ahead of the upcoming Italian Open due to a forearm injury.
ATP received flak for introducing the latest changes to the doubles format
The ATP came under fire for introducing modifications to the doubles format. Recently, the ATP unveiled four adjustments to the format, including adjustments to team selection, shorter breaks between points, and changes to fan movement during matches.
Tennis fans, however, didn't like the changes and expressed their anger on social media.
Jiri Lehecka and a tennis journalist came under fire for criticizing Pedro Cachin's request for Rafael Nadal's shirt
Jiri Lehecka and tennis journalist David Law received criticism for condemning Pedro Cachin's request for Rafael Nadal's shirt after their Madrid Open third-round match. Despite losing 6-1, 6-7 (5), 6-3, Cachin asked Nadal for his shirt during their handshake, which the Spaniard graciously obliged.
Lehecka, who later defeated Nadal 7-5, 6-4 in the fourth round, disapproved of Cachin's gesture but said that he had no issue with it personally.
Cachin’s shirt request also attracted comments from a British broadcaster and the ‘Tennis Podcast’ host, David Law, who found it puzzling that the Argentine would make such a request after losing.
However, both of their views were largely rejected by tennis fans on social media.
Madrid Open director Feliciano Lopez drew criticism over his response to Ons Jabeur's sexism allegations
Madrid Open's director Feliciano Lopez faced criticism for his handling of sexism complaints from Ons Jabeur.
The Madrid Open encountered controversy this year when Australian doubles player Ellen Perez sparked debate about unequal treatment by revealing that women doubles players were relegated to an off-site court for practice.
During a press conference, Jabeur expressed disappointment with the treatment of women players not only in Madrid but also in Rome and across Europe. In response, Lopez acknowledged past mistakes but defended the tournament's equality efforts, citing equal prize money
However, many tennis fans found Lopez's response unsatisfactory and expressed their discontent on social media.
Jelena Ostapenko received support for her cold handshake with Ons Jabeur after Madrid drama
Jelena Ostapenko received support for her reserved handshake with Ons Jabeur after their Madrid Open third-round match. Throughout the game, Jabeur's husband Karim Kamoun loudly cheered for his wife, especially when Ostapenko made errors.
Tension peaked when Ostapenko expressed frustration with a loud scream towards Jabeur's team after winning a service game during the second set. Despite this, Jabeur won the match 6-0, 6-4, leading to a tense handshake at the net.
Watch the video below:
Tennis fans on social media sided with Ostapenko and criticized Jabeur's husband's conduct.
Ons Jabeur's campaign in Madrid ended in a 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 defeat against 18th seed Madison Keys in the quarterfinals.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
