Cameron Norrie Disagrees with Carlos Alcaraz on the Tennis Schedule Debate

Cameron Norrie believes the tour schedule gives lower-ranked players chances of earning more money.

Cameron Norrie Disagrees with Carlos Alcaraz on the Tennis Schedule Debate

Carlos Alcaraz and Cameron Norrie (via X/Jose Morgado)

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The debate over the tennis schedule has been heating up over the past few months, with several players, including Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rune, criticizing the number of tournaments tennis players are expected to play each season. British No.2 Cameron Norrie has countered Alcaraz’s position on the issue, stating that players still have a choice when it comes to scheduling.

Discussions about the hectic tour schedule have always been part of the sport over the past three years. But it became more prevalent just a few months ago, after the ATP announced that in 2028, the number of Masters 1000 tournaments will increase from nine to 10 with the addition of a top-tier event on Sunday.

Currently, eight of the nine Masters tournaments are mandatory for players, which they must also compete in the fourth Grand Slam tournament and give ATP 500 events. Should a player fail to compete in mandatory tournaments for any reason outside injury, he’s going to pay a fine to the ATP Tour.

However, while the tournaments give players an opportunity to chase more ranking points and prize money, there have been criticisms from several players, particularly Alcaraz, who believes that the number of tournaments played every season is too much for players and often wears them down as the year draws to an end.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Norrie was asked about his opinion on the issue, citing criticism of other players. The British star admitted that despite the tour calendar being a very long and hectic one, players are still left to choose which tournaments to play in, and that players have to learn to properly schedule their events.

In the past, I was typically always wanting to play. I would just test the limits of my, of my burnout, really. And I think you need to learn, and you need to know what, where you like to play, what tournaments you like to play, and you need to always adapt your schedule. The schedule is long, yes, but it’s up to you to rest, and I think it’s up to you to learn, and I think there always is a pressure when the tournaments are there to play them, because you see other guys getting the points.

Alcaraz withdrew from three tournaments in the 2025 season for good reasons. He pulled out from the Madrid Open due to an abductor injury and withdrew from the Canadian Open in Toronto due to fatigue before skipping the Rolex Shanghai Masters because of a left ankle injury he sustained at the Japan Open.

Cameron Norrie reveals why he supports the current tour schedule amid its criticism

Cameron Norrie played 60 matches in total in 2025, which is 21 more matches than he played last year. Out of the 60 matches, he claimed 34 wins and lost 26, which gave him a win percentage of 57. It was just the fourth time in his career on tour that he had over 60 matches in a season.

Cameron Norrie
Cameron Norrie (Image via X/Wimbledon)

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz played in 80 matches, 20 more than Norrie played this year. However, during the aforementioned interview, Norrie claimed that despite the schedule being long, it gives players opportunities to earn money, particularly the lower-ranked players in the men’s circuit:

In terms of the schedule, we’re not kidding ourselves. It’s a long schedule, but on the flip side of that, there’s a lot of opportunity to play these tournaments and to earn money and to earn a living. It’s a long schedule, but it’s alright for me. And I think, you’re not forced to play these (lower-graded) 250s, you have some requirements to play the 500s and the 1000s.

Norrie is expected to kick off his 2026 season at the Auckland Classics in January ahead of the Australian Open. The British star’s best run in Grand Slam tournaments came in 2022, when he reached the semi-finals before losing to seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in four sets. He hopes to get past that stage next season in Melbourne.

Also Read: Feliciano Lopez Thinks Juan Carlos Ferrero Left Carlos Alcaraz’s Team due to ‘Economic Issue’