Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz broke silence on his widely criticised decision to play an exhibition ahead of the 2025 Indian Wells.
According to Tennis Infinity, Alcaraz explained his decision to play an exhibition match in Puerto Rico days before the Indian Wells Open scheduled to kick off on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, in California.
The 21-year-old shortly before the beginning of the tournament played an exhibition match against Frances Tiafoe on Sunday, March 2, 2025.
Ahead of the match, he talked to El Nuevo Dia and opened up about his decision, saying, “In the end, I think it's a good time because after the match, we have to go to Indian Wells, which is a very important tournament, and I think this type of match helps you a lot to get in shape and in a good rhythm for the next tournament.”
“There is no better show that we can put on than playing at full speed, taking it seriously to be able to get into rhythm and improve... There are always good matches and good moments, and I think it's going to be a great day,” four-time Grand Slam winner added.
Usually, tennis players are not criticised for playing exhibition matches, as it is a great way for the players to earn some good extra money when there are no tournaments at that moment.
However, Alcaraz's decision was hit with the backlash as he previously complained about back-to-back tournaments with no time to rest during the 2024 season.
