ATP
Alcaraz joins Swiatek in slamming Tour scheduling
Carlos Alcaraz has added his voice to complaints from former No. 1 Iga Swiatek that the ATP and WTA calendars have become too crowded, with players playing the price through injury.
The top-ranked Spaniard withdrew from the current Shanghai Masters for rest after winning the Tokyo title while carrying an ankle injury from the first round.
With a controversial master in action which increases the length of most major events – Grand Slams already stretch to at least a fortnight anyway – to nearly two weeks, top names are pushing back due to simple exhaustion.
Six-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek, the world No. 2, has said she may have to consider breaking strict WTA rules on mandatory participation in at least 10 1000-level events in order to maintain her health and fitness in the face of a schedule which stretches to 11 months for some competitors.
Alcaraz left no doubt as to his sentiments on the touchy issue.
.‘I agree with Iga, I think that the schedule is really tight. They have to do something with the schedule. I think there are too many mandatory tournaments, too many in a row,” the 22-year-old said.
“They put in some rules that we have to play Master 1000s, 500 tournaments, whatever it is. But there are too many rules that we as tennis players are not allowed to have a choice if we have to play or not.”
Alcaraz added: “To be honest, I have to consider in the future if I have to skip some mandatory tournaments just to maintain my physical condition and good shape.
“Obviously it’s more than the physical condition. I think mentally it’s really demanding as well, playing so many mandatory tournaments in a row or playing so many tournaments without having days to rest up mentally.”
The Spaniard said he would join Swiatek in making his schedule to his own needs even if it meant missing some required events.
“I will consider skipping some mandatory tournaments to the benefit of myself mentally. I agree with Iga and I think a lot of players are gonna do that.”
Swiatek, who lost in the Beijing fourth round with a shocking performance against Emma Navarro which included 70 unforced errors, seems likely to pull out from the required Wuhan 1000 event which begins on Monday.
“Unfortunately, I think the Asian Swing is the hardest part because you feel like the season is going to finish soon, but you still need to push,” the Pole said.
“Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory.. the WTA with all these mandatory rules, they made this pretty crazy for us.
“I don’t think any top player will actually be able to achieve this, for example, playing the six 500 tournaments. It’s just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule.
“I think we have to be smart about it, not really care about the rules and just think what’s healthy for us. Yeah, it’s tough.
“The only thing I can do now, when I decided I’m going to play all these mandatory tournaments, is to just take care of my body, take care of the recovery. I have a good team around me also that is helping me with that. I’m experienced enough to know kind of what to do. So physically, I am good.
“There are a lot of injuries. I think it is because the season is too long and too intense.”
Alexander Zverev on Thursday made a long-sought after return to the Shanghai Masters semi-finals, booking his first final four at the event since 2019, defeating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4.
The 2027 year-end No. 1 last got this far as the Covid pandemic began to surface in China in 2019. The event was not played 2020-2022, with the German making modest progress here over the past three editions since resumption.
After winning his 62nd match of the season, the 29-year-old was pleased with his performance.
“I think it was a huge step up. From just being on the court I felt both of us were playing really well.
“I was, a lot of the time, outhitting Alex, which is difficult to do from the baseline because he is so fast and he loves this kind of court speed here.
“I felt good and I’m happy with the step up from the past couple of matches.”
Zverev advanced in 78 minutes, sending over 10 aces as he defeated the Australian for the ninth time in their 13 matches.
Added the reigning Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows Grand Slam champion: “I’ve been handling pressure quite okay this year. In a way you play a bit more relaxed.
“Once Jannik (SInner) unfortunately announced he won’t play for the rest of the year, I’m 4,000 points ahead of everyone else, so I trust myself enough that I’m going to win [enough matches].
Zverev will play for the final to wrap up the Asian swing as he takes on Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who advanced when Arthur Gea quit their quarter-final with injury.
Alexander Zverev marked his new status as sure-thing year-end No. 1 by reaching the quarter-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Tuesday by posting a fighting 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (1) victory over Alexander Bublik..
The 29-year-old German whose two Grand Slam titles this season and the absence of injured Jannik Sinner helped him into the top spot for the first time, needed to save four early set points and deal with an ank;e issue on his journey into the last eight.
Zverev moved through in just under two and three-quarter hours to set up a match with last week’s Beijing finalist Alex de Minaur, The Australian booked his spot over Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4.
Zverev will be playing in his 40th quarter-final in a Masters 1000 and is on the hunt for an eighth trophy this season.
He said his ankle was giving problems – but not enough to affect the match outcome.”It was kind of understandable because I have been playing a lot of tennis, which is kind of a good sign because I have been playing well.
“I’m starting to feel my body more and more but happy to get through. It was a difficult match because he has been playing amazing tennis,” he said after coming from a break down in the deciding set.
De Minaur has bounced back nicely in Shanghai after quitting the Tokyo final against Carlos Alcaraz with an adductor muscle injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas willed himself to a 401st Tour win on Monday, with the Greek advancing to the Shanghai Masters 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, over world No. 12 Taylor Fritz to reach the fourth round.
The win leaves the Greek with a 5-2 record against the American in a series dating back nine years.
The cerebral Tsitsipas credited the victory to some simple mental gymnastics.
“I was manifesting today’s match and trying to put myself in a victorious situation,” he said.
“I’ve always had big fights against him. Some of my biggest matches were played facing him on the other side of the court. I had to up my level.
“Once I started doing that, a lot of doors were open and I was really able to unleash my biggest potential out there.”
The match ended on an unusual note as the ball twice fell from the pocket of Fritz, causing each of the points in question to be replayed.
Tsitsipas missed on three match points in the mistake-marred game but secured the fightback victory a game later after two and a quarter hours.
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