Former British No. 1 Tim Henman has publicly urged the ATP to rethink the structure of its elite Masters 1000 tournaments, arguing that the current 12‑day format places an excessive physical burden on players.
Henman, who captured the Paris Masters title in 2003, said the elongated schedule forces athletes to spend too much time traveling and competing, contributing to a growing injury crisis on the tour. The conversation about calendar congestion has intensified after several high‑profile players have been forced to withdraw from major events due to injuries. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, for instance, announced that he will miss the upcoming China Open because a lingering knee problem has kept him off the court since Wimbledon.
Similarly, Spain’s rising star Carlos Alcaraz missed both the French Open and Wimbledon because of a wrist injury, and British talents Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have also endured lengthy absences throughout 2026. Eight of the nine Masters 1000 stops are mandatory for the top‑ranked players, and they sit alongside four compulsory ATP 500 tournaments. Over the past few seasons, most of the Masters events have expanded to a 12‑day format, a change that many players have criticized as unsustainable.
Henman suggested that trimming the duration to eight or nine days would free up the calendar, reduce travel fatigue, and potentially lower the incidence of injuries. "The 12‑day Masters 1000s are just too much tennis," Henman said. "It means a lot of time on the road, and we’re seeing that reflected in the number of players who get injured. If we could bring those events down to eight or nine days, the schedule would be a lot healthier for everyone." In addition to advocating for a shorter tournament window, Henman floated a more radical rule change: eliminating the let serve.
He argued that the current rule, which allows a serve that clips the net but lands in the correct service box to be replayed, adds unnecessary interruptions. "Every other shot can hit the top of the net, go over and in, so I would get rid of the let and just play it as it comes," he said. Alcaraz, who made his return to the US Open quarter‑finals after a long lay‑off caused by his wrist issue, echoed the sentiment that the tour’s schedule is too cramped.
Speaking in New York, the Spaniard admitted that his recovery period was longer than anticipated and that he intends to schedule longer breaks in the future, even if that means skipping a few tournaments. "I don’t want to keep playing when I’m injured," he explained. "Maybe not four months, but one or two months, missing certain events, because it’s impossible to play everything." During the Laver Cup, which saw Team Europe claim victory, Alcaraz expanded on how the sport has evolved and why players now need more recovery time.
He noted changes in ball composition, court speed, and the increasingly aggressive style of play, all of which demand greater physical preparation. "We need weeks to train and to recover physically," he said.
"There are more important tournaments, and they force us to play more and more. I really want to take breaks." Italian youngster Flavio Cobolli also voiced concerns about the modern tournament format.
While he acknowledged that the total number of matches played over a season is not dramatically higher than in previous eras, he highlighted the extended stays at individual events. "We’re used to playing a lot, but we’re not used to being at a tournament for so many days," Cobolli explained. "The format has changed, and we’re still adjusting. I’ve been away from home for almost a month and a half, and even if I’d stayed the whole time, I would have played fewer than ten matches." Former doubles champion Jamie Murray added his perspective, emphasizing the impact on players’ personal lives.
"The tour is longer than it’s ever been in terms of commitment and days away from home," Murray told Sky Sports Tennis. "You see younger players watching how Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stretched their careers, and they realize that to keep playing into their mid‑30s they’ll have to be selective about which events they enter. The tour needs to consider that." Overall, the consensus among these seasoned and emerging players is clear: the current calendar, with its protracted Masters 1000 weeks and packed schedule, is unsustainable. By shortening tournament durations, reconsidering mandatory event requirements, and possibly revisiting rules such as the let serve, the ATP could create a healthier environment that prolongs careers and reduces injury rates.
As the debate continues, fans and stakeholders alike will be watching to see whether the governing body will implement the changes players like Henman, Alcaraz, Cobolli, and Murray are calling for.