Carballes Baena rips ATP Santiago for the outrageous playing conditions

Roberto Carballes Baena, interviewed by Clay, described without mincing words his experience at the Movistar Chile Open, the ATP 250 tournament being played in Santiago.

The Spaniard lost on his debut against qualifier Corentin Moutet, destroying the tournament with extremely outrageous words, but which underline the technical precariousness of the event.

“What do you want me to tell you, that the tournament is real rubbish (Roberto used a different and much more scurrilous word – ed.)? That it is impossible to play on this court? I think it’s a shame that an ATP tournament is played on this field.

I think it’s dangerous for the players. I hope this event is never organized again. This is not tennis, in the end it becomes like a lottery. You play with the fear of getting hurt and with horrible rebounds.

I always had the feeling that I could hurt myself. Every time I slipped I was afraid of ending up in some hole. And I actually finished the tournament with back discomfort,” he told.

Oh my god, the bounce at the end pic.twitter.com/Z07vo0BVxq

— Olly (@Olly_Tennis_) February 27, 2024

Movistar tournament director Catalina Fillol tried to downplay everything.

“We as an organization have always been concerned with making improvements to the structure with the hope of making the tournament grow more and more. The matches on clay are much longer, the rallies are longer and there are indeed false bounces, but the fact that it’s more challenging makes the games more fun,” she analyzed.

Criticism towards the ATP 250 in Santiago

There are numerous players who have harshly criticized the ATP 250 tournament in Santiago and the organizers for not having provided tennis players with courts worthy of the event they are hosting.

Playing courts in poor condition, irregular bounces and the risk of getting a serious injury is always around the corner due to the unstable ground.

From Court Jaime Fillol, where the most important matches are played, images have arrived that are difficult to comment on.