"They have to do something" - Carlos Alcaraz demands change as he doubles down on his complaints about ATP calendar at Paris Masters

Carlos Alcaraz recently doubled down on his complaints about the ATP calendar. The Spaniard demanded a change to the tournament schedule, highlighting that the current format doesn't allow for players to take a week off for practice and rest.

Over the past few months, several top ranked tennis players have spoken out about the hectic tournament calendar. Alcaraz has been one of the most vocal in his disapproval of the lengthy tennis season, having previously warned that he would ‘consider skipping some mandatory tournaments’ in order to maintain his mental and physical well-being.

Recently, in a press conference at the Paris Masters, Carlos Alcaraz was asked to state the number of matches he thought a top ranked player should compete in over the course of a season. In response the Spaniard said,

“Well, I don't have an exact amount of matches that we should play. I mean, I can't answer with an exact number. But obviously they have to do something with the calendar. The amount of tournaments that we have to play I think is too high. We don't have such, you know, good period of time that we can practice, we can rest.”

He went on to double down on his complaints about the ATP calendar, saying,

“Even during the season, I think it's week after week after week and we don't have the chance to have a week just to prepare pretty well the tournaments or what we have ahead in the season. But, you know, I will think about the amount of matches that we should play, and I'm gonna comment later.”

The ATP calendar currently takes place over the course of 11 months, beginning at the tail end of December and concluding in November with the Tour Finals. The season features 60 tournaments, with players required to compete in 16 mandatory events.

Carlos Alcaraz faces tricky path to the finals at 2025 Paris Masters

Alcaraz at the Rolex Paris Masters 2025 (Image Source: Getty)

Carlos Alcaraz is set to compete at the Paris Masters, which will take place between October 27 and November 2. This marks the 22-year-old's first outing on the ATP Tour since September when he won the Japan Open.

In Paris, Alcaraz has been handed a bye for his opening round match, and will likely run into Cameron Norrie for his round of 32 encounter.

The Spaniard’s third round match could see him go up against Valentin Vacherot, who won the Shanghai Masters earlier this year, followed by a run into Felix Auger-Aliassime or Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals.

For his semifinals encounter at the Paris Masters, Carlos Alcaraz will face the likes of Taylor Fritz, Alex de Minaur, and Joao Fonseca, with a blockbuster clash against long-time rival Jannik Sinner looming in the finals.

Edited by Riddhi Acharya