Alexander Zverev has once again raised concerns over the ATP’s expanded two-week Masters 1000 tournaments, arguing that the longer format is placing an unnecessary burden on the sport’s top players. The world No. 3 believes reducing the events back to one week could help players better manage their fitness and avoid skipping tournaments ahead of Grand Slams.
Zverev’s comments come after several of tennis’ biggest names, including Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, missed the Canadian Open. Sinner withdrew to prioritise his health. After retaining his Wimbledon title, Djokovic skipped the tournament to manage his workload, while Alcaraz was sidelined with a wrist injury.
Alexander Zverev Wants Masters 1000 Events Reduced to One Week
Zverev, who suffered an opening-round defeat in Montreal, believes the extended Masters format is a major reason why elite players are becoming increasingly selective about their schedules.
“That’s how these tournaments work today. It’s a problem, especially if there’s a Grand Slam afterward. If you’re an elite player, you end up spending seven weeks in North America, and that’s a huge amount of time,” Zverev said.
The German argued that returning Masters 1000 events to their previous one-week format could provide a straightforward solution to the workload problem.
“That’s why some choose not to play in Canada for several years in a row. Unfortunately, that’s the reality. The solution? Go back to how things were before and reduce the time we spend here.”
Zverev elaborated on his concerns ahead of the Cincinnati Open.
“I think that’s what two-week events do. Unfortunately, especially if there’s a Grand Slam coming after that. If you play everything and you’re a top player, you spend seven weeks here in North America,” he said.
“That is quite a long time and I think that’s why a lot of top players choose not to play Canada for multiple years now. That’s unfortunately the sad reality of it.”
ATP Masters 1000 Format Under Increasing Scrutiny
Zverev believes the solution is relatively straightforward and would allow more top players to participate without compromising their fitness.
“It’s quite simple. Make us be here for two weeks, not seven. For the Masters, it’s two weeks for both of them. I think that’s an easy fix regarding top players playing,” added the German, speaking ahead of the Cincinnati Open.
Since 2025, seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events on the calendar have each been held across 12 days, with only the Monte-Carlo and Paris Masters still played over a single week.
The expanded format has faced criticism from players, particularly over the demands it places on their schedules. However, the ATP has maintained that players have control over their own schedules and said it is working to create incentives for an appropriate number of matches to be played throughout the season.
The debate has gained further attention following the Canadian Open, which once again went ahead without three of the biggest names in men’s tennis. Sinner and Djokovic opted to manage their workloads, while Alcaraz remained unavailable because of injury.
(With inputs from Reuters)
