Carlos Alcaraz voices frustration over tennis calendar demands
Carlos Alcaraz has voiced fresh frustration over the relentless demands of the tennis calendar, warning that top players are being stretched to their physical limits by a schedule that leaves little time for recovery or preparation, reports BritPanorama.
Speaking ahead of his opening match at the Rolex Paris Masters, the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, the world No 1 remarked that the volume of tournaments required of elite players is unsustainable. “I can’t answer with an exact number,” Alcaraz said when asked about the ideal amount of matches a player should contest each year. “But obviously they have to do something with the calendar. The amount of tournaments we have to play is too high. We don’t have enough time to rest or practice properly.”
The 22-year-old, participating in his 16th event of 2025, expressed that the tour’s relentless pace prevents players from preparing adequately between tournaments. “It’s week after week after week,” he noted. “We don’t have the chance to take a week just to prepare well for what’s coming next.” Alcaraz’s comments come amidst growing concern among players about the expanding ATP schedule.
The men’s tour recently confirmed that beginning in 2028, the number of Masters 1000 tournaments will increase from nine to ten with the addition of a new event in Saudi Arabia. Eight of the existing Masters tournaments are already mandatory for top-ranked players, contributing to the strain of an increasingly crowded calendar. While the expansion promises more prize money and ranking opportunities, Alcaraz has repeatedly questioned the long-term impact on players’ health.
Speaking earlier this year at the Laver Cup, he warned that the pressure to compete almost nonstop was unsustainable. “The calendar is so tight, a lot of tournaments, no days off or not as many as I want,” he said. “There are a lot of mandatory tournaments during the year, and probably in the next few years there will be even more. They’re going to kill us in some way.”
The Spaniard returns to competition in Paris after a month away, having withdrawn from the Shanghai Masters due to a left ankle injury. This absence followed notable pullouts from previous events, including Madrid because of an adductor problem and from Montreal due to fatigue. Despite those interruptions, Alcaraz has adhered to a packed schedule filled with exhibitions and promotional events, as he aims to maintain his prominence on the tour.
Alcaraz is set to begin his Paris Masters campaign against Britain’s Cameron Norrie on Tuesday, in a draw that also features world No 2 Jannik Sinner for the first time since their US Open meeting. As the season nears its conclusion, Alcaraz has made it clear that his concerns extend beyond this week’s competition, advocating for a reevaluation of the sport’s ever-expanding calendar before it pushes players, as he puts it, “too far.” As the sport evolves, the balancing act between competition and player well-being remains a pressing issue in professional tennis.
