Reilly Opelka has made his feelings known about the ATP's Carbon Tracker App which is meant to track and mitigate carbon emissions for players globetrotting on Tour.
In June, the ATP and global IT company Infosys partnered to launch a first-of-its-kind app enabling players to check their travel emissions across multiple seasons and respond with more environmentally friendly and conscious travel choices.
And on Wednesday, the ATP Instagram page shared an update about the app in which more than 200 ATP players have signed up to track and offset their travel emissions. Mackenzie McDonald was announced as the current leader, being the player who has reduced his carbon footprint the most in 27 of his 28 tournament participations.
Opelka chimed in on the post with an ironic response. The injury-stricken American lashed out at the ATP for deploying PR tactics as a distraction. Opelka highlights how the tennis schedule makes a mockery of the ATP's concerted effort of sustainable practices and environmental advocacy.
Professional tennis players travel in hundreds every single week every year to more than 200 events across six continents. Opelka suggests in order to alleviate the issue, the ATP should adjust the schedule so that tennis players travel less frequently.
"If sustainability was such a concern for the ATP why does our schedule say otherwise? Can drinking from a metal water bottle really offset flying from Australia to South America, to USA, to Europe, back to us, to Asia, back to Europe in 10 months?"
"They post it about it every week so clearly its a concern.. so why not adjust the schedule to avoid players flying with a coach and physio overseas every other week? Planting trees for one person, doesnt off set anything. But its great optics."
"The mentality of something is better than nothing does not seem to be getting us anywhere. if they really cared about carbon footprint, they would look at the schedule. Other it's just pr and optics."
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