Tim Henman has known as for adjustments to the calendar saying the 12-day Masters 1000 is ‘an excessive amount of’ tennis | Tennis Information

Former British No 1 Tim Henman has known as for adjustments to the calendar saying the 12-day Masters 1000 is “an excessive amount of” tennis.

World No 1 Jannik Sinner introduced he will be unable to return from a knee harm as deliberate on the China Open subsequent week, having not performed since Wimbledon.

Carlos Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist downside whereas Britain’s Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper are amongst numerous different gamers who’ve been out for prolonged spells in 2026.

Eight of the 9 Masters 1000 tournaments throughout the season are obligatory for many high gamers together with 4 ATP 500 occasions, and the expansion of most Masters occasions to 12 days has been a bone of competition amongst gamers.

Former world No 4 Henman, who gained the Masters 1000 title on the Paris Masters in 2003, want to see adjustments.

“I feel it has been fairly nicely documented that the 12-day Masters 1000s is simply an excessive amount of tennis,” mentioned Henman.

“That is an excessive amount of time on the highway and sadly we’re seeing that with the variety of gamers which might be injured. I’d undoubtedly deliver that to eight or 9 days, which might liberate the calendar.

“That is type of extra of a product change. I feel if I needed to make a sensible, rule probability, then I’d simply do away with the let serve.

“Each different shot can hit the highest of the online, go over and in, so I’d do away with it and play it because it comes.”

‘ATP should do one thing if they need us to play essential tournaments’

Alcaraz’s run to the US Open quarter-finals was his first event for the reason that Barcelona Open again in April after struggling a wrist harm.

Talking in New York, the Spaniard said: “Actually, my break was longer than anticipated.

“Given the packed schedule, I clearly did not wish to cease due to an harm. Nevertheless, sooner or later, I’ll take breaks, longer breaks. Perhaps not 4 months, however one or two months, skipping sure tournaments, as a result of it is unattainable to play all of them.”

On the Laver Cup, which was gained by Crew Europe, Alcaraz mentioned: “I feel tennis has modified lots. They’ve modified the balls, the courts, the pace of how we play, the motion is now extra aggressive and you must be ready.

“We’d like weeks to follow and to make the bodily coaching. There are extra essential tournaments making us play increasingly, so I actually wish to takes breaks.

“Who is aware of what’s going to occur sooner or later, but when the ATP and [chairman] Andrea Gaudenzi has to do one thing if they need us to play plenty of essential tournaments.”

Italian Flavio Cobolli can be having second ideas concerning the variety of tournaments he performs in.

“For those who take a look at the variety of tournaments and the variety of matches we play through the yr, it is not that prime,” he mentioned. “We’re used to enjoying that a lot. The one factor we’re not used to is staying at a event for therefore many days.

“The event format has modified, and perhaps we nonetheless have to get used to it. I’ve now been away from residence for nearly a month and a half, and even when I had gone all the best way right here, I’d have performed fewer than 10 matches.”

Murray: I perceive it from the gamers’ perspective

Talking to Sky Sports activities Tennis, Jamie Murray mentioned: “I can completely perceive it from the gamers’ perspective. The Tour is longer than it is ever been by way of dedication and days away from residence.

“These youthful guys have seen how Roger [Federer] and Rafael [Nadal] have elongated their careers – how they completed their careers as nicely. In the event that they wish to play till they’re 34, 35, 36, they may most likely should skip tournaments and that is one thing the Tour wants to contemplate.

“The Tour is catering for over 100 gamers and so they wish to be on the market competing.”

Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports activities App. You’ll be able to watch the WTA China Open and ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters reside on Sky Sports activities.