‘Worst Scheduling’ – China Open’s Blunt Snub of Naomi Osaka and Carlos Alcaraz Sparks Outrage Among Tennis Fans

Controversies and tennis seem to go hand-in-hand at times, and the latest stir is coming from none other than the Beijing Open. Just as the Asian Swing kicks into high gear, fans were left stunned by a decision that no one saw coming. In a surprising twist, the tournament organizers have shifted the spotlight away from two of the biggest names in the game—Carlos Alcaraz and Naomi Osaka. And, as expected, the tennis community isn’t taking it lightly.

Alcaraz and Osaka are all set to face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Yulia Putintseva, respectively, on Friday as they look forward to advancing to the subsequent rounds. However, the venue of their match has sparked a major debate as both the star players have failed to get a spot on the center court for their matches. Interestingly, they would be playing on the Lotus court, per the scheduling. 

The information about the same was shared by tennis commentator and journalist Jose Morgado. Taking to his X, Morgado shared the picture of the schedule and wrote, “Beijing tomorrow: Alcaraz and Osaka are not on Centre Court 🤔🤔.” As soon as this post gained traction, there was a huge furor witnessed among tennis enthusiasts.

Taking to their X handles, several fans lashed out at the organizers for inadequate scheduling of the matches. They expressed their resentment and registered their unhappiness over the treatment that both star players faced at the tournament. 

Fans express immense support for Carlos Alcaraz and Naomi Osaka

Taking to X, one user wrote, “Alcaraz and Osaka should  be on centre court, it would be fun to watch them in good ambience.” Remember, both Alcaraz and Osaka have showcased impeccable skills and have four Grand Slams each, to their names. In fact, the players have witnessed their matches scheduled in the center courts of most of the tournaments this season including the US Open, Wimbledon, and the French Open. Hence, with such stature, it was quite shocking for the fans to not witness them on the schedule of the Diamond Court in Beijing. Similar reactions followed from other users.

Responding to the post, a user seemed to accept the ignorance of the organizers towards Osaka but was infuriated over the treatment of Alcaraz. “With OSAKA, it makes sense since she’s a thing of the past. But zero sense in ALCARAZ not being on centre court,” the user wrote. Remember, Osaka has witnessed a subpar season and has failed to achieve much. In the latest American Swing, she was ousted in the qualifier round at the Cincinnati Masters, and the second round of the US Open. On the other hand, Alcaraz has not just cliched two grand slams but has also secured a silver medal in the Olympics. More users joined in the fray to express similar sentiments. 

 While Naomi Osaka is placed at No. 73, Carlos Alcaraz holds the 3rd spot in the ATP rankings. However, their matches are still loved by their fans. Interestingly, the Centre Court, also called the Diamond Court has a seating capacity of 15000 seats. On the contrary, the Lotus court where Osaka and Alcaraz would be playing has a capacity of 10000 seats. This made the fans believe that many enthusiasts might lose the opportunity to watch the matches due to scheduling issues. 

Responding similarly to Morgado’s post, one more user wrote, “PUSIERON A JERRY POR DELANTE DE ALCARAZ EN LA CENTRAL SE ME CAEN LAS LAGRIMAS (THEY PUT JERRY AHEAD OF ALCARAZ IN THE CENTRAL I CAN TEAR UP).” Remember, Jarry played against Jannik Sinner in the centre court and lost the match in three sets 6-4, 3-6, 1-6, on Thursday. Despite being ranked 25 spots above him in the ATP rankings, Alcaraz failed to gain a spot on the same court as Jarry. 

One more user simply wrote, “This is the worst scheduling I have ever seen,” and expressed their dissatisfaction. As the tournament progresses, it would be interesting to see if more such bizarre scheduling creates similar or even a bigger furor than this. Will such scheduling also impact the morale of the players? Well, only time will tell.