Tennis Calendar Criticism
In light of recent high-profile withdrawals from the upcoming 2025 Canadian Open, Taylor Fritz, the ATP’s world No. 4, has openly criticized the increasingly demanding tennis calendar, urging for a substantial reduction in the season’s length. The withdrawals include major stars such as Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, and Aryna Sabalenka from the WTA tour, the latter citing fatigue after an exhausting schedule that has already seen her reach seven finals this year, including appearances at both the Australian and French Opens.
Concerns About Player Welfare
Fritz’s remarks come amidst growing concerns about player welfare in relation to the crowded tennis schedule, especially following the recent modifications to events, like shrinking the Cincinnati Open from 12 to just 7 days. He expressed sympathy for those athletes who may feel pressured to compete in back-to-back tournaments with minimal rest, particularly with the Canadian Open kicking off shortly after the conclusion of Wimbledon, leaving less than two weeks of respite.
Intensified Calendar and Its Impact
The broader context of this issue is the intensified calendar driven by the expansion of high-level tournaments like the Madrid Open, Italian Open, and the Shanghai Masters. Many players, including Fritz, believe that the overall schedule has become excessively lengthy, and rather than creating space for shorter breaks, tennis organizers continue to pile on more events.
Fritz’s Perspective
“Almost all the players have been advocating for a shorter season for quite some time now, yet the response has been to only increase the length and number of tournaments. It’s perplexing,” he stated passionately during a press conference following the Citi Open. “It’s vital for players’ health, and we need to reevaluate how we schedule these events. We could easily streamline the calendar to better accommodate breaks and lessen the toll on the athletes.”
Fritz suggested that instead of finding ways to condense schedules to fit more tournaments in, it would be more beneficial to simply shorten the overall tennis season, ideally reverting to a two-week gap between major events.
“We should prioritize players’ well-being and balance the calendar, giving us all a breather. There’s a lot of tennis ahead, and it’s crucial we make these adjustments,” he added.
