Several stars have raised concerns about the congested schedule, particularly after Wimbledon, when numerous events lead up to the U.S. Open. This has prompted players like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic to skip the Canadian Open. Now, World No. 3 Alexander Zverev has added his voice to the debate.
The German took aim at the ATP’s new Masters 1000 format, which now extends most events to two weeks rather than one. Speaking to Nothing Major, Zverev expressed a preference for the old system, arguing the longer tournaments hurt the overall calendar.
“You have the nine Masters 1000 events, which are mandatory; most of them are two-week-long events now, except Monte-Carlo and Paris Bercy. Which I think are the best two weeks now on the ATP calendar,” Zverev said. “I think for a fan and every single tennis player, Paris Bercy was awesome last year. You do not have to stick around or practice in between matches. That is how Masters events used to be and I think all the players loved it”.
Zverev also criticized the new rule introduced in 2025 requiring top-30 players to compete in at least four ATP 500 tournaments each season, up from three. “Now the ATP has made four mandatory 500 events for you to play, which used to be three, now it’s four. So you don’t get under 20 events except if you are pulling out of the big events,” he explained.
Alexander Zverev of Germany reacts while playing Matteo Arnaldi of Italy during the National Bank Open. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The 27-year-old believes the ATP needs to reconsider its scheduling policies, especially with the extended Masters events. “I think this is one subject where the ATP has to really think about it and find a solution about it, and to be honest, I have not heard a single player say that they love the two-week Masters events. I don’t even think the fans like that,” Zverev added.
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“They don’t like waiting for two days for their favourite player to play again. I understand tennis is a business, but I am not sure that business plan is working very well right now,” he concluded.
Carlos Alcaraz previously voiced similar concerns
During the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz addressed the new Masters 1000 format in a press conference after reaching the tournament’s quarterfinals. The Spaniard made it clear that he prefers the old format, as it allowed players more rest.
“The one-week ones are better. Some will think that in two weeks there are days of rest, but that is not the case,” the four-time Grand Slam champion explained. “You train, you have to mentally prepare for the game, prepare for it… you’re not resting, really. It’s two full weeks. That’s why I prefer the one-week Masters 1000. For me, it’s better for tennis”.
