Stefanos Tsitsipas has voiced his concerns over the growing trend of stretching ATP Masters 1000 tournaments to two weeks, arguing that it leads to a decline in match quality due to insufficient recovery and training time. Currently, five Masters tournaments span two weeks, and starting in 2025, the ATP plans to extend seven out of nine events to 12 days each. This shift, however, has been met with pushback from players, who argue that the longer schedule affects both their physical condition and the intensity of the matches.
Tsitsipas responded to former player Andy Roddick, who had expressed on his podcast that two-week Masters events are “so stupid,” noting that they seem to lead to more injuries. He suggested that a one-week event would allow players to recover and focus on building their bodies during the off-weeks. Tsitsipas echoed this sentiment, saying, “The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag. The quality has definitely dropped. Players aren’t getting the recovery or training time they need with constant matches and no space for the intense work off the court,” in a post on X.
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Tsitsipas isn’t alone in his concerns. Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, has previously criticized the tight calendar, noting that the relentless schedule affects players’ motivation and raises injury risks. Alexander Zverev, another prominent player, added that while the longer events may benefit lower-ranked players by giving them more opportunities to compete, they place added strain on top players who consistently aim to reach the tournament finals. As Zverev noted, “Resting is when you’re spending time at home… That’s what resting is.” This pushback from players highlights the growing tension between the ATP’s scheduling decisions and the physical and mental demands of high-level tennis.
