Alexander Zverev Reacts to the Launch of ATP Masters 1000 Event in Saudi Arabia: “I’m Not a Politician”

Alexander Zverev was set to face Tallon Griekspoor in the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 tournament in Vienna, but received a walkover.

Alexander Zverev Reacts to the Launch of ATP Masters 1000 Event in Saudi Arabia: “I’m Not a Politician”

Alexander Zverev (Image via X/Swish Tennis)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Alexander Zverev reacted to the new ATP Masters 1000 event that has been added to the tennis calendar from 2028 in Saudi Arabia. The additional tournament comes at a time when players are calling for a shorter calendar on tour and fewer mandatory tournaments. But the ATP chiefs have moved on by adding another tournament.

The Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia is set to feature a 56-man contest in just one week, and it’s most likely that it will be played in February, the same period as the Gulf swing. Saudi Arabia already hosts the WTA Finals in Riyadh and the Next Gen ATP Finals and it has become an official partner of the ATP and WTA rankings.

However, this is the first time the Masters 1000 category will be expanded since its birth in 1990. The ATP 1000 event has often been nine, starting with Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Paris. The addition of the Saudi Arabia Masters will make it ten in the tour calendar.

Nonetheless, players have expressed concerns about the length of the season and the number of events they play in. The new tournament will not be mandatory, the same as the Monte Carlo Masters, which is currently the only non-mandatory ATP 1000 tournament for players. That means, if a player skips the Saudi Arabia Masters, his share of the annual bonus pool would not be affected.

Zverev was informed in detail about the new event during his press conference after his win against Matteo Arnaldi in the round of 16 of the Vienna Open. He revealed that he doesn’t care about the politics involved in making Saudi Arabia the stage for the new Masters tournament, but hopes the ATP will give more money to the players:

On political matters, the context is not always the best, but they are trying to change. Three years ago, I wasn’t there, but this year it felt like a new country to me. I’m not a politician. If there is a Masters 1000 there, I play it. They have been played in Dubai or Doha for 30 years, and I don’t think there have been any problems. I can speak for what I know, which is tennis. The ATP should start using that money to give something back to the players.

Zverev has been one of the players who have complained about the length of the tour calendar. He has been dealing with a back injury since August, but has continued to compete on the court despite the pain. He has not taken a break from the court this season, competing in 22 tournaments, more than any player in the top 5.

Alexander Zverev was looking ahead to a tough quarterfinal matchup against Tallon Griekspoor

Alexander Zverev earned his place in the last eight of the Vienna Open after crushing Matteo Arnaldi. The German star recorded his 50th win of the season after beating the Italian qualifier 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and twenty-seven minutes. He won the tournament in 2021 and has not failed to advance to the quarter-finals since his debut.

Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor
Alexander Zverev and Tallon Griekspoor (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

Zverev was set to face Tallon Griekspoor, who defeated him at the Indian Wells Masters. He led the Dutch star 8-2 in their head-to-head record on tour. However, the Dutchman withdrew from the clash, handing Zverev a walkover.

Ahead of their clash, Zverev admitted that against top-ranked players Griekspoor always produces stellar tennis on the court and looks forward to a tough meeting:

He is a very, very good server, plays very aggressively. Against strong players, he always steps up, has already defeated many excellent players, including myself. Against weaker opponents, he sometimes has problems. His results make you doubt and wonder what happened, but against high-level players, he is very effective, so I expect a very tough match tomorrow.

Zverev is on the verge of qualifying for the ATP Finals and he’s currently fourth in the Live Race To Turin. He would have secured his place in the ATP Finals if he had had a good run at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, but he crashed out early after losing to Arthur Rinderknech.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic’s Mural Vandalized in Belgrade Amid Ongoing Tension with the Serbian Government