Carlos Alcaraz Agrees With Iga Swiatek On the Debate of ‘Demanding’ Tennis Scheduling

Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Rolex Shanghai Masters due to some physical issues.

Carlos Alcaraz Agrees With Iga Swiatek On the Debate of ‘Demanding’ Tennis Scheduling

Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz (via X/Carlos Alcaraz/Iga archives)

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Carlos Alcaraz has supported Iga Swiatek’s claims that the schedule of the ATP and WTA has become very demanding. The World No.1 has been very vocal about the hectic nature of the professional tennis schedule, and not only him, but several players, including Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Stefanos Tsitsipas have voiced out as well.

The ATP and WTA have often defended their packed schedule despite growing complaints from players. The current tour-level system has forced players to participate in a ridiculous number of tournaments each season. They must play in Grand Slam and ATP Masters 1000 events and a few 500-level tournaments.

That has resulted to the likes of Elina Svitolina and Beatriz Haddad Maia ending their season early. Also, in Beijing, Jakub Mensik and Lorenzo Musetti were forced to retire from the match due to injury, while Daniil Medvedev retired because of cramps. Alcaraz had to manage an ankle injury in Tokyo and went on to win the title after beating Taylor Fritz.

However, Swiatek, who has often expressed her dislike for the hectic tour schedule, was given a walkover after Camila Osorio was forced to retire due to an injury in their round of 32 clash at the China Open. Despite going through, Swiatek believed that Osorio was tired and revealed during her press conference that it was because of the long schedule.

Qinwen Zheng disagreed with her comments, despite having just returned from injury at the China Open. But Alcaraz backed the former World No.1, admitting that the ATP and WTA Chiefs need to do something to reduce the number of tournaments players are forced to play every season:

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. 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. 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.

The WTA and ATP seasons end in November but will resume in late December, leaving players with just weeks of rest before the start of the 2026 season. Also, that doesn’t give players the chance to have a good rest and pre-season before the next season, which has often resulted in players starting the year poorly.

Carlos Alcaraz withdraws from the Rolex Shanghai Masters after winning the Tokyo Open

Carlos Alcaraz claimed his eighth title of the season after beating Taylor Fritz in the final of the Tokyo Open. The Spaniard made his debut at the tournament, after deciding not to play at the China Open, and he only dropped one set throughout the event. Despite managing an injury scare, he produced a scintillating performance, taking his total match win tally to 67, this season.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (via the US Open)

However, after the tournament, he revealed that he had pulled out of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. He explained that the reason behind his withdrawal from the prestigious event was that he was struggling with some physical issues:

I’m very disappointed to announce that I won’t be able to play the Rolex Shanghai Masters this year! Unfortunately, I’ve been struggling with some physical issues and, after discussing with my team, we believe the best decision is to rest and recover. I was really looking forward to playing in front of the amazing fans in Shanghai again.

Alcaraz is expected to feature in the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals in Turin. He has never won either of the two tournaments in his career, but with his recent form, he will be hopeful of winning them.

Also Read: Iga Swiatek Blames Tennis Scheduling for Contributing to the Player’s Injuries in the Later Part of the Season