Zverev, Fritz, And Paul Facing Unusual Scheduling Nightmare Because Of New Exhibition
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Alexander Zverev and two other players who signed up for an exhibition could be left in an awkward situation if they reach the final of an ATP tournament that clashes with it.
The MGM Rewards Slam, an exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, will occur on March 1st and 2nd. Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Naomi Osaka are among the players who have signed up for the event.
Zverev, who progressed to the Australian Open final, Taylor Fritz, and Tommy Paul are the other three players set to appear in Las Vegas. Without considering other factors, the exhibition seems like it could be the ideal preparation for March's Indian Wells Open.
However, the scheduling of ATP tournaments has created some confusion about the exhibition. The Dubai Tennis Championships, the Mexican Open in Acapulco, and the Chile Open will still be ongoing when the exhibition starts.
No players who have agreed to participate in the exhibition are on the Dubai Tennis Championships or Chile Open entry lists. However, three of the four men that fans in Las Vegas will get to watch also signed up for the Mexican Open.
Zverev, Fritz, and Paul are those men. The final of the Mexican Open is scheduled for March 1st, and that trio will be among the highest-ranked players competing in the tournament in Acapulco. Hence, at least one of them reaching the final is possible.
A clash could be avoided depending on how the exhibition is formatted and scheduled. Zverev, Fritz, and Paul might be playing on March 2nd. It is possible that the first day might just be a women's match between Sabalenka and Osaka.
But even that scenario would be a potential logistical headache. If one or two of the players progress to the final on March 1st, they need to immediately get to Las Vegas the following day for the exhibition.
Most players feel weary after reaching a final, and some might be nursing slight knocks that they want to protect before the next ATP tournament. Zverev, Fritz, and Paul could have to put those worries aside if they reach the Mexican Open final.
Another potential complication is that the Mexican Open, an outdoor hard-court tournament, is among the most susceptible to rain delays on the ATP tour. Rain delays often disrupt the schedule and create difficulties for players and fans.
That means the final being pushed back to March 2nd because of rain delays is possible. In that case, Zverev, Fritz, or Paul would have to decide whether to skip the final or the exhibition.
Exhibitions are controversial to some since many ATP and WTA players often complain about the length and intensity of the schedule. When speaking at last year's Laver Cup, Zverev accused the ATP of not caring about the players.
Some will question why players are annoyed by the schedule when they continue to play so many exhibitions. A notable example was Carlos Alcaraz traveling to the USA in December for exhibitions with Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe after repeatedly arguing that the ATP season was too long last year.
