Jim Courier Urges Carlos Alcaraz to Stop Playing Tournaments for Money Amid Scheduling Debate Around Saudi Arabia Masters 1000
Carlos Alcaraz crashed out of the ATP Finals with a three-set defeat to Cameron Norrie.
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Carlos Alcaraz and Jim Courier (via X/Carlos Alcaraz4K/Djokovicfan)
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From 2028, the ATP Tour will have a new Masters 1000 in Saudi Arabia. The ATP, along with SURJ Sports Investment, a Public Investment Fund (PIF), could hold the event in February during the Middle East swing.
This sparked debate because many players have complained about the hectic 11-month calendar. Carlos Alcaraz has time and again censured the schedule, blaming it for players’ injuries as well as not giving them much time between tournaments to practice.
But Jim Courier has an interesting opinion on this debate. He thinks the players who are complaining about the schedule are only the top ones who don’t have to sign up for every event, so they can skip those that are non-mandatory. ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said during a press conference that the Saudi event won’t be a mandatory event.
My reaction to that is the good news, Carlos, is that Saudi Arabia is an optional tournament that is not mandatory in the same way Monte-Carlo is as a Masters 1000. So while there might be 10 starting in 2028, there are only eight that you are required to play if you want to get your multi-million dollar bonus.
Jim Courier told Tennis Channel
Courier then pointed out that the rest of the players don’t want a short calendar as they want more playing opportunities. He thinks the conversation about the schedule is “very nuanced” based on players’ wants and needs.
They don’t have the match load that the top players have. This is a very nuanced conversation based on where you are in the rankings and what your needs and wants are. Alcaraz is not wrong that the requirements are a lot, but he has options. He is supposed to play those events if he wants the money. He does not have to. Keep that in mind, people.
Jim Courier added
Alcaraz recently played the Six Kings Slam, where he, for the second consecutive time, lost the $6 million to arch-rival Jannik Sinner. But he took home the $1.5 million as a participant fee.
Carlos Alcaraz lost his opening-round match at the Paris Masters
Carlos Alcaraz entered the Paris Masters to bid for his second indoor hardcourt title of his career. But to his complete disappointment, the six-time Grand Slam champion suffered a three-set defeat at the hands of Cameron Norrie.
It was his third consecutive early-round exit in the last Masters 1000 of the season. His best performance in the tournament came in 2022 when he reached the quarterfinals. It was also the second time Alcaraz lost in his opening-round match.
This means Alcaraz will lose his ranking points if Jannik Sinner ends the Paris Masters in his favor. Sinner doesn’t have any point to defend because he skipped the tournament last year. The four-time Grand Slam champion is chasing his fifth title of the season and will have 11,500 points in the live rankings. Alcaraz has 11,250 points in the live rankings.
But Sinner will once again lose his ranking points once the ATP Finals start, as he will enter the tournament as the defending champion. It’s going to be nothing but difficult for the 24-year-old to end the year-end championships as the No.1 player.
Alcaraz clinched three Masters 1000 titles this year (Monte Carlo Masters, Italian Open, and the Cincinnati Masters). The 22-year-old has won the most singles titles this year- eight titles from 10 finals, followed by Sinner and Alexander Bublik with four titles each.
The ATP Finals start on November 18. Alcaraz has never progressed beyond the semifinals. Last year, he failed to reach the last four. So far, apart from Sinner and Alcaraz, the players who have qualified for the ATP Finals are: Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Taylor Fritz.
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