Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs. Dan Evans Scheduling Drama

Enter Dan Evans, who clearly had a cup of black coffee (sans sugar) the morning of Alejandro’s post. Evans took to his Instagram stories with ironclad bluntness, replying, “Wake up and play. The world wakes up and works 9-5 even 8-6 pathetic.”

Remember when tennis used to be just about hitting the ball over the net? Well, apparently, it now includes throwing shade at your peers. Evans essentially slammed Fokina for being a little too fragile for his liking, pulling out the “people have it harder than you” argument.

And folks, this isn’t breaking kayfabe for Evans. Earlier this year, he gave a similar “you’re paid to play tennis, stop whining” interview. He even pointed out that players could simply take weeks off if they didn’t like the schedule. Subtle, Dan. Very subtle.

The Bigger Problem with ATP Scheduling

It’s clear that scheduling isn’t just Fokina’s gripe. We’ve seen other players get heated about the ATP prioritizing, well, everything that isn’t them. From matches being structured awkwardly for TV time zones to demanding players travel across continents on back-to-back weekends, the struggles of professional tennis go way beyond “hitting balls for millions.”

But then again, as Evans so eloquently puts it, these pros are paid absurd amounts of money to wake up “early.”
Is there a solution here? Maybe. Could ATP at least pretend to listen to players’ feedback instead of robotically defaulting to corporate deals (looking at you, TV contracts)? Possibly. Meanwhile, the cynic in me knows nothing will change, and fans like us will be left enjoying Instagram battles instead of more stunning forehands.

At the End of the Day, Just Play Tennis

Whether you’re Team Fokina, Team Evans, or Team Stay-Out-of-This-Petty-Drama, one thing is for sure. Tennis scheduling arguments may not matter much in the grand scheme of things, but they make for a delightful sideshow. Who even needs Netflix documentaries when the ATP doubles down on all this juicy chaos?

ATP, if you’re reading this (which you’re definitely not), maybe consider leveling up the scheduling game before the next player’s rant goes viral. Or don’t—we clearly love the entertainment value.