"Unwatchable" - Tennis insider laments camera angle during Carlos Alcaraz-Holger Rune clash at Six Kings Slam
The broadcast of Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune's opening day clash at the ongoing Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament drew a critical reaction from prominent tennis insider Jose Morgado. The renowned insider and journalist bemoaned the main camera angle and opined that the match almost couldn't be watched because of it.
The 2024 Six Kings Slam marks the inaugural edition of the high-profile exhibition tournament. It marks Saudi Arabia's latest foray into the world of tennis, and there is excitement surrounding it due to the presence of high-profile names such as Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune.
There was significant hype surrounding the event in the buildup to it as well, particularly due to the production value that came with its promotional video, which portrayed the participating players as mythical warrior-esque figures. However, on the opening day of the tournament, several prominent names intended to follow proceedings from afar but were disappointed with the main camera angle.
Tennis insider and journalist Jose Morgado was one of them. Morgado tuned into the match between Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune but was frustrated with how the camera angle made viewing the match cumbersome. He took to X (formerly Twitter) and via a brief post, laid bare his frustrations.
"Alcaraz vs. Rune live. Main camera is a spider cam. Almost unwatchable," Morgado wrote.
There were several active fans on the platform who had the same complaint as Morgado, particularly those who intended to watch the match between Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner, the former and present World No. 1s respectively.
Tennis legend Boris Becker also lambasted the camera angle on Six Kings Slam day one featuring Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
Boris Becker, a former World No. 1 and six-time singles Major winner, also aired his frustrations at the viewing difficulties associated with the opening day of the Six Kings Slam. Becker said that he felt as if he was watching tennis from outer space.
"What about the camera angle… Feel like I am watching from space ! So i guess it’s not really my eyes. Look , i am a believer in opening new markets for tennis since it’s a global sport ! @RiyadhSeason (the official X handle of the event's organizers) gave 6 kings an opportunity to showcase their ability in a relatively new territory for tennis. Nothing wrong whatsoever!" Becker wrote.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner won their respective opening-day matches at the Six Kings Slam against Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev. In the semifinals, the Spaniard will face legendary compatriot Rafael Nadal, while the Italian will lock horns against Novak Djokovic.