WATCH: Players slam ‘unplayable and dangerous courts’ – ‘Looks like beach tennis’

Shahida Jacobs
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The clay-court season has arrived so what better way than to look at the best clay-court players

Organisers of the Chile Open as well as ATP bosses have come under fire from players and fans due to the poor playing conditions at the Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo.

Santiago is hosting an ATP 250 event this week with home hero Nicolas Jarry the top seed while Sebastian Baez from Argentina and Frenchman Arthur Fils are also in the draw.

However, the state of the courts has left a lot to be desired with balls dropping dead and players slipping and falling.

The seventh-seeded Roberto Carballes Baena lost in the first round against qualifier Corentin Moutet and the Spaniard did not hold back in his criticism.

“Where’s the @atptour limit? Unplayable and dangerous courts for players,” he wrote on an Instagram Story.

In an interview with Claytenis.com, he said: “What do you want me to tell you, that the tournament is shit? That on the court you can’t play?

“I think it’s a shame that an ATP [event] is played on this court, I think it’s dangerous for the players. Hopefully this tournament will never be held again.”

He added: “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.”

And he was not the only one to voice his unhappiness over the conditions as John Millman took to X as he questioned how a tournament can be awarded hosting rights when they clearly don’t meet the minimum requirements to host an ATP event.

“I would have loved to play more in South America.. I wasn’t good enough on dirt!” the Australian wrote. “But we when I was on the players council there was a push for minimum standards, including court surface. Has to be better at all levels, can’t single out Santiago here, happens at a lot of venues.”

Meanwhile, fans on social media declared that it “looks like beach tennis 😂”, “this is embarrassing” and “Ridiculous. They shouldn’t be allowed to run a tournament on such courts”.

Even top Chilean player Cristian Garin didn’t hold back after his first-round defeat to Tomas Barrios as he told Claytenis.com: “I love the tournament, but reality is that this is the worst court I’ve ever played in an ATP level.”