ATP players arrested after being accused of racism at a tournament
NewsFriday, 23 January 2026 at 19:00
The ATP Challenger circuit has been riddled with unexpected controversy after two players were arrested on suspicion of making racist gestures.
Although it does not receive the same attention as ATP tournaments of 250 level and above, the Challenger Tour is pivotal for developing the next generation of stars and determining who can make a good living from the sport.
That means any news damaging the circuit's reputation is bad for tennis and takes the attention away from those battling away to achieve their dreams of becoming successful professional players amidst much competition.
The shocking incident occurred at a Challenger 75 tournament in Itajai, Brazil. Venezuelan Luis David Martinez and Colombian Cristian Rodriguez were playing a doubles match against home favorites Eduardo Ribeiro and Igor Marcondes.
The Brazilian duo won that match, but the result is not what created headlines. Martinez and Rodriguez allegedly made racist insults and gestures to a fan and club official after being defeated.
Brazilian media outlets reported that the police detained the duo at their hotel after being made aware of their alleged behavior. The authorities spoke to those at the match who said they had witnessed the incident before going to the hotel.
Tournament organizers made a brief statement to UOL after the incident, confirming what had happened, and outlining their clear stance against discrimination of all kinds.
"What happened during today’s doubles match at the Itajaí Open led to an immediate response from the Military Police, who were present and took the appropriate measures in accordance with Brazilian law. The Itajaí Open strongly condemns racism or any form of discrimination."
The outcome for Martinez and Rodriguez is uncertain at this stage. However, the pair must be very worried since what they are accused of carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison under Brazilian law.
36-year-old Martinez and 35-year-old Rodriguez have respective doubles rankings of No. 108 and No. 162. Any prison sentence for them would almost certainly represent the end of their professional careers.
Daniil Medvedev was told that tennis locker rooms used to be incredibly toxic
At a press conference at the 2026 Australian Open, Daniil Medvedev was asked whether he had any locker room stories to share, since several players are in close proximity at events.
Medvedev answered that the atmosphere is generally very friendly in the modern game and that there were only a few players in the Top 100 whom he does not like. The 2021 US Open winner did not name who they are.
However, Medvedev also stated that his coaches, Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, have told him stories about how toxic the locker room was 20 years ago. He found some of the stories genuinely shocking and surprising.
Although Medvedev has good relations with most players, he is not popular with Ukrainian player Oleksandra Oliynykova. She condemned him for appearing at an exhibition in St. Petersburg despite the ATP and WTA banning tournaments in Russia and Belarus.
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