The
organization of the Open 13 Provence Marseille is under criticism following a
controversial withdrawal announcement by Jannik Sinner. The official Twitter
account posted a message with a less-than-benevolent tone, stating "Sinner
snubs Open 13 Provence" in French, accompanied by a shocked emoji.
Typically,
when tournaments announce player withdrawals, they express good wishes to the
player for their upcoming challenges and express regret for not having them
participate. However, the ATP 250 Open 13 Provence opted for a post quite
different from the usual approach when announcing the withdrawal of the
Italian, who withdrew from the tournament for the second consecutive year.
Several
fans criticized the harsh tone used by the Marseille Open, which will take
place between February 4th and 11th, in announcing the withdrawal of the recent
champion of the 2024 Australian Open in a less-than-flattering manner. The same
tweet mentions that the tournament is negotiating with Alexander Zverev to be
part of the main draw of the event.
Following
his outstanding campaign in Melbourne, the Italian has decided to take an
additional week off from competition beyond what was initially planned.
Currently, he remains entered in the ATP 500 Rotterdam Open, where he will be
the second seed, scheduled to take place from February 12th to 18th.
Sinner
secured his first Grand Slam title on Sunday, January 30th, after coming back
from two sets down against Daniil Medvedev, ultimately claiming a marathon
victory with a score of 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. In Rotterdam, he will defend the points from
last year's final, where he was defeated against Medvedev (5-7, 6-2, 6-2).
The Italian
will also arrive with the confidence of having won 8 of his last matches
against top-3 players and being the first Italian Grand Slam champion since
Adriano Panatta in the 1976 French Open. Sinner, at 22 years old, is also the
youngest man to win the Australian Open since Novak Djokovic in 2008 at the age
of 20.
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.