Carlos Alcaraz has asserted that the one-week Masters 1000 tournaments are “better for tennis” as he questioned the ATP’s move away from the original format.
In 2023, the ATP Tour extended the Masters 1000 events in Madrid, Rome and Shanghai to two weeks (12 days) and increased the number of players in the singles draws to 96.
Last year, the same expansion was applied to tournaments in Indian Wells, Miami and Shanghai, while it will also be introduced at the 2025 editions of the Canadian Open and the Cincinnati Open.
Prior to the changes, seven of the nine Masters tournaments were played over a week and featured 56-player singles draws, with Indian Wells and Miami each lasting 10 days.
The Masters events in Monte Carlo and Paris are the only two tournaments in this category that will retain the single-week format.
Alcaraz won the title in Monte Carlo last week to conclude what was arguably the most entertaining event on the ATP Tour so far this year.
Some felt that the tournament was a reminder that the one-week Masters format provides a superior spectacle, with higher-quality matches contested from the opening round. There was a similar sentiment expressed during the 2024 Paris Masters.
Conversely, many players and fans have been critical of the new Masters 1000 schedule, with Alcaraz the latest to weigh in.
Carlos Alcaraz News
Carlos Alcaraz asked if emulating Rafael Nadal’s 14 French Open titles is ‘impossible’
Who is Carlos Alcaraz’s latest coach? Samuel Lopez working alongside Juan Carlos Ferrero
Speaking in his press conference after reaching the Barcelona Open quarter-finals, Alcaraz was asked about the debate over the different Masters formats.
“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 major winner said.
“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.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas has been the most outspoken critic of the two-week Masters 1000 format.
In a post on X after the Paris Masters last year, the Greek wrote: “The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag. The quality has definitely dropped.
“Players aren’t getting the recovery or training time they need, with constant matches and no space for the intense work off the court.
“It’s ironic that the @atptour committed to this format without knowing if it could actually improve the schedule, but the quality likewise. Paris got it right, done in a week. Exciting and easy to follow. Just how it’s supposed to be.
“If the goal was to ease the calendar, extending every 1000 to two weeks is a backwards move. Sometimes, it feels like they’re fixing what wasn’t broken.”
READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz makes shock confession about wanting to ‘stop for several months’
The post Carlos Alcaraz makes feelings clear on ATP’s controversial extended Masters 1000 format appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply