Former British No. 1 Tim Henman has publicly urged the ATP to rethink its scheduling, arguing that the current 12‑day format of the Masters 1000 events forces players into an unsustainable workload.
Henman, who captured the Paris Masters title in 2003, highlighted the growing number of injuries that he believes are directly linked to the extended tournament weeks and the relentless travel demands placed on the modern tour. The issue comes at a time when several of the sport’s biggest names are grappling with serious injuries. World No.
1 Jannik Sinner announced that he will miss the upcoming China Open because a lingering knee problem has kept him off the court since Wimbledon. Spanish phenom Carlos Alcaraz, who missed both the French Open and Wimbledon due to a wrist injury, is still in the recovery phase.
In Britain, Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have also endured lengthy absences throughout 2026, underscoring how widespread the problem has become. Henman’s criticism targets the fact that eight of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments are mandatory for the top players, in addition to four ATP 500 events that also carry significant ranking points and prize money. Over the past few years, most Masters 1000 stops have expanded from the traditional eight‑day format to a 12‑day affair, a shift that many players feel has tipped the balance too far toward exhaustion.
"It’s been well documented that a 12‑day Masters 1000 is simply too much tennis," Henman told reporters. "The travel, the time away from home, and the sheer number of matches are taking a toll. I would cut those events down to eight or nine days. That would free up the calendar and give players a chance to recover between stops." Henman also suggested a more radical rule change: eliminating the let serve.
"Every other shot can hit the top of the net, go over and in, so why keep a rule that stops play? Removing the let would speed the game up and reduce the number of points that end in a dead‑ball situation," he said.
Alcaraz, speaking from New York after reaching the US Open quarter‑finals – his first tournament since the Barcelona Open in April – echoed the sentiment of needing longer breaks. "My break was longer than expected," he admitted. "Given the packed schedule, I didn’t want to stop because of an injury, but in the future I’ll take longer breaks – maybe one or two months, skipping certain events. It’s impossible to play everything.” During the Laver Cup, which saw Team Europe claim victory, Alcaraz added that the sport has evolved dramatically: the balls, the court speeds, and the aggressive style of play all demand more physical preparation.
"We need weeks to train, to recover, and to get physically ready. The calendar forces us into more tournaments, so I really want to take breaks.
If the ATP and Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi want us to keep playing the big events, they have to address the scheduling problem," he said. Italian rising star Flavio Cobolli also voiced concerns about the length of modern tournaments. "If you look at the number of tournaments and matches we play in a year, it’s not that high, but we’re not used to staying at a single event for so many days," Cobolli explained.
"The format has changed, and we’re still adapting. I’ve been away from home for a month and a half and will have played fewer than ten matches in that time, yet the mental and physical strain is huge." Veteran doubles specialist Jamie Murray, speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, offered a perspective from the players’ side. "I completely understand the concerns. The tour now demands longer commitments and more days away from family than ever before.
Younger players see how Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal extended their careers by being selective with their schedules. If they want to play into their mid‑30s, they’ll have to skip tournaments, and the tour needs to accommodate that reality," Murray said.
"The tour serves over a hundred players who all want to compete, but we must balance ambition with longevity.” The cumulative effect of these statements paints a clear picture: the current ATP calendar, with its mandatory 12‑day Masters 1000 events, is placing unsustainable pressure on players, leading to a spate of injuries and forcing top talent to miss key tournaments. Critics argue that shortening the Masters weeks, reducing mandatory commitments, and perhaps revisiting rules like the let serve could create a healthier environment that preserves the sport’s elite while extending players’ careers. If the ATP chooses to act, potential solutions could include: 1.
Reducing the Masters 1000 tournaments to eight‑day formats, thereby cutting travel and recovery time. 2. Allowing more flexibility in mandatory event participation, giving players the option to skip certain stops without heavy penalties.
3. Implementing a mandatory rest period after Grand Slam events, ensuring players have a guaranteed window for recovery. 4.
Re‑evaluating the let‑serve rule to streamline play and reduce unnecessary interruptions. These proposals aim to strike a balance between maintaining the sport’s commercial appeal and protecting the health of its athletes. As the conversation continues, the voices of former champions like Henman, current stars like Alcaraz, and emerging talents like Cobolli will likely shape the future of tennis scheduling, potentially ushering in a new era where the calendar is as considerate of player welfare as it is of fan engagement.