Stefanos Tsitsipas: Two-week ATP Masters events are ‘a drag’

Tsitsipas is among the leading players who have spoken out recently about what they see as increasingly unreasonable demands in scheduling.

Poland’s five-time major champion Iga Swiatek said there are “too many tournaments in the season”, while France’s Caroline Garcia spoke about the mental impact of the “constant grind of tennis” after ending her season early.

Britain’s Jack Draper said he feels the calendar will make it hard for the next generation to achieve “longevity”.

The discussion has been reopened following the conclusion of the ATP event in Paris, which is one of the remaining week-long Masters.

“If the goal was to ease the calendar, extending every 1,000 to two weeks is a backwards move,” Tsitsipas said.

“Sometimes it feels like they’re fixing what wasn’t broken.”

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has said the expansion of the 1,000 events has increased financial opportunities for more players and enhanced recovery time.

“We recognise the concerns raised by some top players that longer events can introduce an element of fatigue or burnout related to being away from home for extended periods,” he said in a statement to BBC Sport last month.

“However, players ultimately have the autonomy to craft their own schedules based on their priorities – a freedom that comes with being independent contractors, unlike many other sports where players are bound by fixed schedules.”