A number of superstars are unlucky for the week! Acre was criticized by his compatriot seniors, and the WTA was accused of discriminating against Swiatek

Alcaraz retired due to injury, drawing harsh criticism from his fellow Spaniards

Alcaraz kicked off the clay season by winning the Monte Carlo Masters and extending his winning streak to the final of the Barcelona Open, but was injured in the final defeat to Rune. The tournament just ended a few days before the start of the Madrid Open.

Alcaraz's participation in the Madrid Open was in doubt, and he eventually announced his withdrawal from the tournament, a decision that was upset by two of his fellow Spaniards. Tournament director and former professional player Fie López expressed his displeasure in an interview, suggesting that the 21-year-old Alcaraz is in a difficult situation due to a misschedule.

"You have to know how to choose the competition, especially a player like Carlos, who has the potential to compete for the title every week. I'm not saying that playing Barcelona and Monte Carlo is the only reason for the injury, but it does have an impact. López said.

Another Spanish player, Agutte, also gave his opinion in an interview in Madrid. Alcaraz also recently attended the Laureus World Sports Awards and was busy promoting his solo documentary Carlos Alcaraz: My Path. The 37-year-old pointed out that Alcaraz should not be distracted by other matters and that Alcaraz should focus on tennis.

"Top tennis is very draining. I don't think you can win a Grand Slam by going to bed at 7 a.m. Everything looks good now, he's still young, but if he wants to achieve the Big Three, he's going to have to stay at a high level for fifteen years. I think he's a smart guy and I'm sure he'll gradually realize what he needs and put it into practice. ”

Alcaraz is scheduled to play at next week's Rome Masters, but it remains to be seen whether he will participate, having also missed the tournament last year due to injury.

Fans criticized the WTA for favoring Gauff and discriminating against Swiatek

Swiatek is currently trying to defend her Madrid Masters title and retain her No. 2 spot in the world, with Pegula and Gauff third and fourth, respectively.

The WTA recently launched a questionnaire asking fans whether Swiatek would end his trip to Madrid with the world No. 2 ranking, or would he be overtaken by Gauff or Pegula? This has sparked a new round of discussion about the WTA's bias towards American players and its suppression of Poles.

Fans were quick to accuse the WTA of being unfair to Swiatek and show solidarity with her. They accused the WTA of manipulating the draw and humiliating her with such questions. If Swiatek wins the fourth round, she could retain her No. 2 spot in the world, regardless of other results. Pegula is out in the third round, and even if Gauff wins, he won't be able to overtake Swiatek in the quarterfinals.

Nadal won the award, causing dissatisfaction among some fans

Nadal was awarded the "Sports Legend Award" at the Laureus World Sports Awards on April 21, 2025. Since the award was incepted in 2000, only two players have won the award. Some fans dismissed it, believing it was just to "keep Nadal hot".

Some fans believe that the award is more suitable for his rivals Federer or Djokovic. Nadal has previously won five Laureus Awards in his career and officially retired in November 2024 in front of his hometown audience at the Davis Cup Finals.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)