Carlos Alcaraz responds to critics as he stands by comments over ‘tight’ schedule
Carlos Alcaraz insists tennis chiefs and players “have to do something about the tight schedule” as he also hit back at suggestions he should not complain about the calendar due to the number of exhibition events he has signed up for.
Calls for a shorter calendar have increased in recent weeks with several players both on the ATP and WTA saying the tennis season is too long as most players start their campaign at the end of December and only finish in November.
Some have been accused of being hypocrites as they have been told that “they don’t have to play in all tournaments”, but both Tours have more than a dozen mandatory events where players have to show up.
Alcaraz was one of those who bemoaned the hectic schedule as he revealed he is often not motivated to compete at tournaments.
“Sometimes I didn’t feel motivated at all,” the Spaniard said. “It is a difficult moment. As I said many times, you know, the calendar is so tight, a lot of tournaments, no days off or not as many days off as I want.”
He also joking stated that the calendar is going to “kill us in some way”, saying: “Probably during the next few years gonna be even more tournaments, more mandatory tournaments. So, I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way.”
ATP News
Jannik Sinner admits ‘sometimes it’s not easy’ as he weighs in on scheduling debate
Andy Roddick hints players could boycott one big tournament as Alcaraz and Sinner join big debate
In his latest press conference ahead of the China Open, Alcaraz believes something needs to give.
“My energy level right now, it is good. I mean, I have motivations to come here to play a good tennis. I’m going to try to win the tournament, as I try to do to every tournament that I go,” the world No 3 said.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve seen and I’ve hear a lot of players complain about the schedule, about the calendar as well. Didn’t see after my words, after this I didn’t hear, I didn’t seen people or players talk about that. I’ve seen it before, before my words.
“I hear about in Jannik’s [Sinner] press conference here, he talk about it a little bit. He didn’t complain as much as he did, he didn’t complain big about the calendar.
“It depends as well about the players. I’m talking about that. Probably a few players, a lot of players are not going in my side; a lot of them going to be in my side complaining about the calendar, that it is so tight. It depends about the feelings of every player.”
Alcaraz came under fire for criticising the schedule as he has also added several exhibition events to his calendar this year.
He played a one-off match against Rafael Nadal in Las Vegas in early March, he took part in the Laver Cup last week (an event where no ranking points are on offer), while he has also signed up for the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia in October and an event with Americans Frances Tiafoe, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens in Charlotte in early December.
But he explained exhibitions are different from official tournaments.
The four-time Grand Slam winner added: “I’ve seen a lot of people talk about my exhibitions this year and complain about the schedule, at the same time putting a lot of exhibition. But I want to say there is different things; we all have to separate the exhibitions and the calendar.
“Yeah, as I said, it’s about different feelings in every person. So I’m talking about myself, that the schedule it’s been so tight since the first week of January till the last week of November. We have to talk about it ourselves and we have to do something about it.”
