When Alejandro Davidovich Fokina checked the schedule for his third-round match at the 2025 Canadian Open, he couldn’t believe what he saw. While every other player gets to start at 12:30 p.m. ET, his clash with Jakub Menšík was set for 11:00 a.m. For a player staying one hour from the venue, that meant one thing: a brutal wake-up call that could derail his entire preparation. The Spaniard’s response? A scathing public takedown of the ATP that laid bare the growing frustration players feel when commercial interests trump their basic needs.
Why Was Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Singled Out for the Early Start Time?
The controversy erupted during Davidovich Fokina’s fifth appearance at the National Bank Open, a Masters 1000 event on the ATP calendar. Seeded 20th this year, he advanced to the third round with a solid straight-sets win over Corentin Moutet.
Bouncing back
After the heartbreak in Washington, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina responds in the best possible way as he beats the in-form Corentin Moutet 6-4 6-3 #NBO25 pic.twitter.com/61IUwJwBDm
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 30, 2025
Despite his solid progress, the 26-year-old felt blindsided after learning that his third-round clash with 12th seed Menšík had been slotted for 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 1. The scheduling decision becomes even more puzzling when you consider that all other matches that day are set to begin at 12:30 p.m., making Davidovich Fokina the lone exception.
The timing creates a logistical nightmare for the Spaniard and his team, who are staying one hour away from the club. That early start means waking up in the pre-dawn hours just to arrive at the venue with enough time for proper warm-up and preparation.
What Did Davidovich Fokina Say About the ATP’s Scheduling Decision?
In an Instagram story, Davidovich Fokina didn’t hold back in detailing his frustrations with the ATP. “Today I want to share my disappointment and frustration with the ATP,” he began. “Tomorrow, every match starts at 12:30, except ours, which has been scheduled at 11:00. We’re staying one hour away from the club, which means we have to wake up extremely early to arrive in good condition.”
The World No. 19 revealed that he and his team had actively sought a schedule change, only to hit a brick wall. Tournament officials told him that the match time couldn’t be adjusted due to prior ticket sales and TV rights agreements. For Davidovich Fokina, this response confirmed his worst suspicions about where players rank in the ATP’s priorities.
“Once again, it’s clear that players are not taken into consideration,” he continued. “Today it happened to others, tomorrow it’s me, and from the day after, all matches return to 12:30. There are plenty of available courts, yet we’re the only ones playing at 11:00.”
His frustration extended beyond this single incident, pointing to what he sees as a pattern of broken promises from the tour. “The ATP always promises they’ll fix things, but nothing ever changes. This isn’t the first time it happens, and when you’re inside, you realize it’s not as great as it looks from the outside.”
How Does This Impact Davidovich Fokina’s Match Against Jakub Menšík?
This will be Davidovich Fokina and Menšík’s fifth meeting on the ATP Tour, with the Spaniard leading the head-to-head record at 3-1.
The winner of this match will advance to face either sixth seed Andrey Rublev or 28th seed Lorenzo Sonego in the fourth round, making the stakes even higher for both players.
Beyond his singles campaign, the Spaniard also teamed up with Flavio Cobolli for the doubles event, but the duo fell to second seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash in the first round.
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