Former British No. 1 Tim Henman has publicly urged the ATP to rethink its schedule, arguing that the current 12‑day format for Masters 1000 events forces players to endure far too much tennis. Henman's comments come amid a wave of injury news that has already sidelined several top competitors this season.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, for instance, confirmed he will miss the upcoming China Open because a knee problem has kept him out since Wimbledon.
In Spain, Carlos Alcaraz was forced to withdraw from both the French Open and Wimbledon after a wrist injury, while Britain’s own Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have each endured lengthy periods away from the tour in 2026. The ATP’s calendar now includes nine mandatory Masters 1000 tournaments and four compulsory ATP 500 events. Over recent years, many of those Masters stops have been expanded to a 12‑day stretch, a development that has drawn criticism from players who feel the extended format adds unnecessary travel and fatigue.
Henman, who captured the Paris Masters title in 2003 and once held a career‑high ranking of world No. 4, believes the solution lies in trimming the duration of these events. "It’s been well documented that a 12‑day Masters 1000 is simply too much tennis," Henman told reporters.
"The amount of time spent on the road is excessive, and we’re seeing a direct correlation with the rising injury count. I would cut the tournament length down to eight or nine days, which would free up the calendar and give players a chance to recover." He went on to suggest a rule change as well, proposing the removal of the let serve rule, arguing that any ball that clears the net should remain in play.
"Every other shot can hit the top of the net, go over and in, so why not treat the serve the same way?" he asked. Alcaraz’s recent experience underscores Henman’s point. After a wrist injury forced him out of the French Open and Wimbledon, the Spaniard returned to competition at the US Open, reaching the quarter‑finals – his first tournament since the Barcelona Open in April. Speaking in New York, Alcaraz admitted his break had been longer than anticipated and emphasized the need for longer rest periods.
"Given the packed schedule, I didn’t want to stop because of an injury, but moving forward I’ll take longer breaks – maybe one or two months, skipping certain events – because it’s impossible to play everything," he said. At the Laver Cup, where Team Europe emerged victorious, Alcaraz added that the sport has evolved dramatically, with faster balls, quicker courts, and a more aggressive style of play demanding additional preparation time.
"We need weeks to train physically and to practice. The calendar is crammed with important tournaments, pushing us to play more and more, so I really want to take breaks," Alcaraz explained.
He called on ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi to consider reforms that would protect player health while preserving the sport’s competitive integrity. Other players echo these concerns.
Italian rising star Flavio Cobolli reflected on the grueling nature of the modern tour, noting that while the total number of matches may not seem extraordinary, the length of each tournament has increased dramatically. "We’re used to playing a lot of matches, but staying at a single event for so many days is new," Cobolli said.
"I’ve been away from home for nearly six weeks, and even if I had competed in every possible round, I would have played fewer than ten matches. The format has changed, and we’re still adjusting." Veteran doubles specialist Jamie Murray also weighed in during an interview with Sky Sports Tennis. He highlighted that the tour now demands a longer commitment than ever before, keeping players away from home for extended periods. "I can completely understand the players’ perspective.
The tour is longer in terms of days away from home," Murray said. "You look at Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – they managed to stretch their careers into their mid‑30s, but they had to be selective about which tournaments they entered. If younger players want to compete into their mid‑30s as well, they’ll need to skip events, and the tour has to accommodate that reality." In summary, a growing chorus of voices—from former champions like Henman to current stars such as Alcaraz and Cobolli—are calling for a more balanced calendar that reduces the physical toll on athletes. By shortening the Masters 1000 tournaments and possibly revisiting certain rules, the ATP could create a schedule that allows top players to maintain peak performance while minimizing the risk of injury.
The discussion is likely to intensify as the season progresses, with fans and officials alike watching closely to see whether meaningful changes will be implemented.