ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has damaged silence on the gamers’ complaints concerning the schedule, acknowledging that the offseason has turn into very quick but in addition highlighting that there are commitments to prime tournaments and insisting that heyt cannot do a lot there.
During the last couple of years, there was numerous frustration on the gamers’ facet over what they imagine is a particularly lengthy and demanding calendar. And it solely received worse this yr after the Masters occasions in Madrid and Rome expanded to two-week occasions.
Subsequent yr, the Canadian Masters and the event in Cincinnati are slated to comply with the identical route – that may go away Monte Carlo and Paris because the lone one-week Masters occasions. Evidently, that did not make gamers pleased in any respect and a few have already strongly criticized the plans for 2025.
Probably the most vocal critics was none aside from four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, who provided some damning phrases concerning the matter, saying “they’re most likely going to kill us not directly.”
The 2024 season will formally end on November twenty fourth whereas the following season kicks off on December twenty seventh on the United Cup.
“We have now expanded the Masters 1000 and within the 96-draw Masters there’s theoretically another match provided that you attain the finaI. I agree with the gamers once they say that the low season is simply too quick and the Davis Cup additionally has an affect on this. With the brand new format many gamers play in November, as soon as solely these from the groups that reached the ultimate, the others went on trip. Now you do not have sufficient time to relaxation, rebuild your physique and begin taking part in tennis once more,” Gaudenzi instructed SportFace.
Gaudenzi agrees the state of affairs with tournaments is not superb, however…
Some gamers merely really feel that there isn’t a want for a Masters event to be a two-week event. And whereas the ATP boss understands among the arguments that the gamers have made, he additionally underlines that the Masters class is one in every of their “premium merchandise” so due to this fact they want prime stars competing there.
“It is a drawback and I agree, we’re engaged on it. Nevertheless, the tournaments are owned and since we do not have a centralized system we won’t take occasions and transfer them as we like. Then it’s true that there’s an obligation to play the Masters 1000, our premium product. As a result of followers need to see one of the best play within the largest tournaments: Slams, Masters 1000 and Finals. That is the product that’s standard and must be strengthened, additionally as a result of the hole between Slams and 1000s is critical,” Gaudenzi added.
Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas slammed the two-week Masters occasions
After profitable Wimbledon and capturing the silver medal on the Paris Olympics, the Spanish tennis star stunningly misplaced his opener on the Cincinnati Masters and in addition shockingly received bounced by Botic van de Zandschulp within the US Open second spherical. When he arrived in Berlin for the Laver Cup in late September, the world No. 3 just about blamed the calendar for his poor North American hard-court swing since he stated that he was drained and exhausted.
“In all probability they will kill us not directly. Proper now numerous good gamers are going to overlook numerous tournaments due to that. Generally, you do not need to go to a event. I am not going to lie — I’ve felt this manner just a few occasions already. Generally I do not really feel motivated in any respect. However as I’ve stated many, many occasions, I play my finest tennis once I smile and revel in it on court docket. That is the most suitable choice to maintain motivating (myself),” Alcaraz stated in Berlin.
Not too long ago, 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick sounded off on two-week Masters tournaments on his podcast, ripping them as “so silly” and revealing that he heard it straight from gamers. Additionally, the previous world No. 1 urged that the ATP does not actually care concerning the size of the schedule as a result of “actions communicate louder than phrases.”
Two-time Grand Slam finalist Tsitsipas totally agreed with Roddick and claimed that the standard and degree had been being negatively impacted by the schedule.
The 2-week Masters 1000s have become a drag. The standard has positively dropped. Gamers aren’t getting the restoration or coaching time they want, with fixed matches and no area for the extraordinary work off the court docket… If the aim was to ease the calendar, extending each 1000 to 2 weeks is a backwards transfer. Generally, it looks like they’re fixing what wasn’t damaged,” Tsitsipas wrote on X.
Judging by Gaudenzi’s phrases, there doubtless will not be any calendar adjustments that may make gamers happier.
