Carlos Alcaraz announced he will miss the Shanghai Masters after picking up an injury at the Tokyo Open, and the Spaniard aimed at the packed ATP schedule and certain rules that force players into tournaments. However, Jannik Sinner doesn’t quite share the World No. 1’s criticism of the tour.
Alcaraz argued that the calendar is too demanding and that ATP rules limit players’ freedom to choose when and where to compete. But speaking to the media ahead of his Shanghai Masters debut, Sinner stressed that players still have the power to set their own priorities when planning their schedules.
“Yeah, I mean, I don’t want to criticise anything,” the Italian said when asked about the comments from Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek. “For me, everyone thinks in different ways. We can still, as I always say, we can still choose, you know, as players, you just have to understand what the priority is for yourself”.
“I always made choices, even last year, sometimes skipping tournaments. The schedule is what it is. If you want to play, you play. If not, you make another choice to rest or practise, you know, that’s it. So, yeah, it is what it is,” he added.
Jannik Sinner during a press conference prior to his Shanghai Masters opener. (Hu Chengwei/Getty Images)
Fresh off his Beijing Open title, Sinner now turns his attention to defending his crown in Shanghai, where he defeated Novak Djokovic in the 2024 final. The Italian opens his campaign on Saturday, October 4, against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier.
see also
Novak Djokovic takes a subtle shot at Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek for criticizing the ATP schedule
Former Serena Williams’ coach calls out Alcaraz
After Alcaraz voiced his frustration over the packed ATP schedule, his comments quickly became a talking point. One of the more notable reactions came from Rennae Stubbs, former coach of Serena Williams, who questioned the Spaniard’s stance given his offseason plans.
“I find it funny because, even though I love Carlos, I recently noticed that he had registered for all the exhibitions scheduled at the end of the season,” Stubbs said on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
“It’s hard to take them seriously when they say the calendar must be lightened, but then they go and play exhibitions in the suburbs of Miami. Again, it’s not really a criticism; it’s just a little inconsistent. Yes, it just makes me laugh,” she added.
