ATP 2025: Top five controversies

The ATP 2025 field had its share of controversies between players and organisations which made the battle on court spicier.

The 2025 ATP season delivered extraordinary tennis on court, but the drama off it often proved just as explosive.

From Novak Djokovic getting booed at the Australian Open to Jannik Sinner’s polarising doping saga, from stars blasting the ATP’s unforgiving calendar to Daniil Medvedev’s chaotic US Open meltdown and Carlos Alcaraz facing hostility in Turin, controversies repeatedly overshadowed the action.

As players pushed through a demanding year, tensions between athletes, fans and governing bodies reached a boiling point.

Novak Djokovic booed by Australian Open crowd

Novak Djokovic was stunningly booed off Rod Laver Arena after retiring from his 2025 Australian Open semi-final against Alexander Zverev due to a worsening muscle tear.

The injured 37 year old, chasing a record 25th major, battled through visible pain before stopping after the first set, prompting frustration from sections of the crowd who had expected a long contest.

The Serbian later said he understood fans’ disappointment but felt the reaction lacked empathy, while Zverev urged spectators not to boo a player clearly unable to continue.

Jannik Sinner’s doping controversy

Jannik Sinner’s three-month doping suspension became one of the most divisive sagas of the early 2025 season, triggering intense debate among former champions, analysts and several current players.

Although the sanction arose from a whereabouts violation rather than a positive test, the timing raised immediate suspicion: a reigning Slam winner vanishing for a precise three-month window before returning just in time for the clay Masters and Roland Garros entry cutoff.

The reaction grew sharper when Novak Djokovic indirectly questioned how “certain players” seemed to serve suspensions that conveniently avoided major events, a remark widely interpreted as aimed at Sinner.

Many critics argued the three-month duration was unusually convenient, skipping minor tournaments while protecting his participation in the sport’s flagship events.

World No #1 Jannik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month ban from #tennis after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.His suspension runs from February 9 to May 4!#janniksinner #DopingBan pic.twitter.com/ILIeym86PB

— Khel Now (@KhelNow) February 15, 2025

Players criticise ATP for poor scheduling

Several top players spent 2025 openly criticising the ATP for what they called an exhausting and unsafe calendar structure. The season’s relentless travel demands, back to back Masters events, and compressed indoor swing led to rising injuries and burnout across the top twenty.

Many argued that the ATP was prioritising revenue and expansion over athlete welfare, pointing to the surge in late season retirements as proof that the schedule had become unsustainable.

Taylor Fritz said the calendar felt like a cycle of “recover, fly, play, repeat” and warned that athletes were being pushed until something breaks.

Alexander Zverev remarked that the tour needed to “choose between quality tennis and never ending tennis” because the current structure delivered neither.

Holger Rune, before his injury, publicly stated that the season had become “impossible to manage physically” and urged the ATP to reduce mandatory events.

Even Djokovic noted that the schedule “does not allow proper recovery or longevity” and called for immediate reform.

Also Read: WTA 2025: Top five controversies

Medvedev stages riot at US Open, as entire stadium boos chair umpire

Daniil Medvedev arrived at the 2025 US Open desperate to halt a shocking slump, having suffered back-to-back first-round exits at the Slams.

A former champion and finalist in New York, he hoped Flushing Meadows would spark a turnaround, but instead he endured another painful defeat to Benjamin Bonzi, the same opponent who had ousted him at Wimbledon.

Their late-night clash, finishing at 1AM, was filled with tension, controversy and emotional outbursts that only deepened the Russian’s frustration.

When Bonzi served for a straight-sets win and held match point, chaos erupted as a cameraman unexpectedly entered the court.

Chair umpire Greg Allensworth ruled the point be replayed and restored Bonzi’s first serve, triggering an explosive reaction from Medvedev and a chorus of boos from the crowd demanding a second serve.

The Frenchman completely unraveled under pressure, blowing his match point, losing the third set and getting bageled in the fourth.

Medvedev then surged ahead 4-2 in the fifth, seemingly in control, before Bonzi mounted a stunning six-game comeback to seal a dramatic upset in front of a hostile, feverish crowd.

Carlos Alcaraz insulted by crowd at year-end finals

Carlos Alcaraz experienced a hostile moment in Turin when Italian fans repeatedly booed him during his ATP Finals semi-final contest against Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Each time his face appeared on the big screen, the crowd expressed its loyalty to home favorite Jannik Sinner by jeering the World No 1.

Alcaraz, however, stayed composed, letting the atmosphere fuel rather than distract him as he closed out a straight-sets victory.

After the match, he acknowledged the challenge of facing Sinner in Italy, saying he hoped at least a few supporters would cheer for him in the final. The Spaniard went on to ultimately lose to the Italian in the finale, in straight sets.

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