Pushing the limits: Why are top Tennis stars withdrawing from major tournaments
Top tennis stars are systematically withdrawing from major tournaments with high criticism for the demands of this year’s calendar. With the likes of Novak Djokovic and Janik Sinner, arguably the 2 biggest names in the sport at this moment, withdrawing from the masters of Montreal plus the fact that Carlos Alcaraz is still out due to a stress injury, we can see rising tension from players and the ATP regarding the demands of the expanded calendar.
The expansion of the calendar has been a central topic of discussion in recent weeks, and it seems unanimous amongst players that something needs to be changed.
Taylor Fritz, current number 6 in the world has said: “For the top guys, it’s a long time to be on the road and be playing when you’re committing to playing, you know, extended Master, extended Master, week, US Open. It’s a lot.”
Much of the reason for the expansion of the calendars happens for financial reasons as tournaments stand to be more profitable. However, they are taking a major blow by losing their most crowd attracting players. The new calendar has pushed players to the breaking point and even world number 1 jannik sinner chose to put his health 1st. He says: “After carefully considering all the factors together with my team, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from Montreal. It is never easy to miss such an important event, but we believe this is the right decision to prioritise my health. I’m disappointed not to be there, but I look forward to returning to Montreal in the future”.
Adrian Trindade de Haro, who was a physical trainer for several ATP players including the likes of Davidovich-Fokina and Lopez Perez. Stated that the new format is in fact changing the approach from players behind the scenes, “The constant traveling, changing surfaces, different weather, new food, disrupted sleep, and long stretches away from family all affect players deeply. With this packed calendar, managing training load and keeping constant communication with the staff are key to keeping players healthy”. The mental strain of always being on the go also affects physical performance and many players are choosing to make their own calendar even if they may wish to compete.
Tennis has become a very physically intensive sport, not only due to the calendar, but the game itself has become way more baseline focused, which also demands more of players. Coaches and fitness trainers have been trying to adapt to the new conditions as well as by putting in extra care during the pre-season as well as managing workload throughout the season. However, even with the adaptations, players who tend to go further in tournaments still have a lot less time to rest, and the players who lose early have added expenses without any compensation for their extended stays.
The new format creates problems throughout the sport. Players are being asked to compete for longer periods, tournaments risk losing their biggest attractions, and coaching teams must manage increasingly complicated physical and mental demands.
For De Haro, the solution is not simply asking players to become fitter. Greater communication between players, coaches, physical trainers and tournament organizers is needed, along with a calendar that provides meaningful opportunities for recovery. Training can help athletes withstand the demands of the modern game, but it cannot eliminate the effects of continuous travel and competition.
The withdrawals of Sinner, Djokovic and Alcaraz should therefore be treated as more than isolated decisions. They are signs that even the strongest players in the sport are reaching the limits of what the calendar allows. If tennis continues expanding without creating more space for recovery, tournaments may gain additional days on the schedule while losing the players audiences most want to see.
