Former British No 1 Tim Henman has advocated for significant modifications to the tennis calendar, arguing that the current 12-day format for Masters 1000 tournaments places an excessive physical burden on players. His comments come as the sport grapples with a growing injury toll among its elite competitors.
World No 1 Jannik Sinner recently revealed he will miss the upcoming China Open, unable to recover in time from a knee injury sustained earlier in the year. He has not competed since Wimbledon, joining a growing list of stars sidelined by physical issues. Carlos Alcaraz also missed both the French Open and Wimbledon due to a wrist problem, while Britain’s Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper have endured lengthy layoffs during 2026.
Henman, who captured the Masters 1000 title in Paris in 2003, emphasized that the expanded duration of these events is a primary concern. “I think it’s been pretty well documented that the 12-day Masters 1000s is just too much tennis,” Henman said. “That’s too much time on the road and unfortunately we’re seeing that with the number of players that are injured. I would definitely bring that to eight or nine days, which would free up the calendar.”
He also suggested a rule change regarding the let serve, proposing its removal to streamline play. “If I had to make a practical, rule change, then I would just get rid of the let serve. Every other shot can hit the top of the net, go over and in, so I would get rid of it and play it as it comes,” he added.
The pressure on players was further highlighted by Alcaraz, who recently led Team Europe to victory at the Laver Cup. The Spanish star’s run to the US Open quarter-finals marked his first tournament appearance since the Barcelona Open in April. Speaking in New York, Alcaraz admitted his break lasted longer than intended but stressed the necessity of managing his schedule.
“Given the packed schedule, I obviously didn’t want to stop because of an injury. However, in the future, I will take breaks, longer breaks… skipping certain tournaments, because it’s impossible to play them all,” Alcaraz said. He pointed out that the modern game demands more aggressive movement and preparation, requiring adequate rest to maintain competitiveness.
Alcaraz urged tour leadership to act if they wish to preserve participation in major events. “Who knows what will happen in the future, but if the ATP and [chairman] Andrea Gaudenzi has to do something if they want us to play a lot of important tournaments,” he stated.
Italian Flavio Cobolli also voiced concerns about the extended stay required at individual events. Although he noted the total number of matches remains manageable, he highlighted the strain of being away from home for extended periods, such as the nearly six weeks he spent competing this season.
Jamie Murray supported the players’ perspective, telling Sky Sports Tennis that the tour’s commitments have never been as demanding in terms of days spent away from home. He noted that younger players look to legends like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, who successfully extended their careers by selectively skipping tournaments—a strategy the tour must accommodate if it wants stars to remain healthy for key events.
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