Madrid Open is alight with controversy. No other controversy, however, has enraged fans more than the current one, dubbed the ‘cakegate’. Organizers of the tournament presented cakes to celebrate the birthdays of the two champions. Carlos Alcaraz received a highly decorated cake, while Aryna Sabalenka’s cake paled in comparison. The conflict saw many stories of preferential treatment being shared, with one former player talking about being treated differently when compared to the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer.

This is the second controversy in which Alcaraz’s name has come up. Prior to this, a commenter furiously spoke out about the biases of the Madrid Open organizers toward Alcaraz over his opponent. Organizers of the Open have also been blamed for favoring the winner of the ATP division over the WTA division. 

Madrid Open accused of another controversy

Just days after the controversy in the final, Madrid Open has found itself in bad light yet again. The unfortunate discrepancy in the treatment of players on tour came to light. The tournament, moreover, faced heavy backlash from fans after the women’s doubles final did not have speeches after the match while the men’s, which was held one day earlier, did. A positive impact, however, has started to bubble up because of the situation. A few days after cakegate, among many players, one talked about an occasion when the difference in treatment was starkly noticeable.

The former challenger player, Tomàs Carbonell, shared the time when Roger Federer received much better treatment than him. “Saving distances and acknowledging that I was a filler player, I will explain… Federer was born on August 8 and the one who writes to you, on August 7. I met him on those dates in a tournament, Federer was presented with a 3-story cake and a 30,000 watch. To me, a donut with a candle,” said Carbonell.

The Madrid Open has been under fire ever since it concluded. The clay Masters presented cakes to the winners of the WTA and the ATP divisions after their matches. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka have the same birthdate, and the organizers of the Spanish Masters decided to celebrate their birthdays after their matches. However, any viewer could easily see the difference between the cakes they received. Sweet preferential treatment for some, bitter donuts with a candle for others.

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The preferential treatment made several fans angry and has catapulted a debate online about how the Madrid Open seemed partial to Alcaraz. Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are two players who have spoken against the bias. With all the voices being raised, any significant changes are yet to be seen.

Read more – Days After Erupting Tennis World With ‘Cake’ Saga, Madrid Open Lands in Fresh Soup As 19-Year-Old Coco Gauff Exposes the Tournament With a Sly Dig