Carlos Alcaraz Calls the ATP Schedule "Impossible" and Plans to Skip Tournaments

The world No. 3 used his platform after advancing to the third round of the US Open to call out the ATP’s packed schedule, joining a growing chorus of players who say the tour is asking too much of their bodies.

Carlos Sounds Off Post-Match

Speaking with the press after his four-set win over Jaime Faria on Wednesday, Alcaraz didn’t hold back on how he views the current ATP calendar. “I think they’re adding more important tournaments. In a way they are making us play,” he said.

Alcaraz continued, “It’s impossible to play every tournament… You can decide your calendar, but there are some Masters 1000s, some Grand Slams, and we’ve been out playing 40 weeks if we [have] to play every mandatory tournament that the ATP requires us to play.”

He went further, warning that the current structure is putting players at real physical risk. “We’re seeing a lot of players getting injured, a lot of players getting tired, and if they don’t do anything about it, we’re going to see it even more in the future.”

Alcaraz’s New Approach

Alcaraz just returned from a four-month absence with a wrist injury that cost him both the French Open and Wimbledon. He said the experience has changed how he plans to manage his career going forward.

“In the future, I’m going to take some breaks, some long breaks, maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments,” he said. His decision comes at a relevant moment when many players have also begun to question the grueling length of the professional tennis season.

Alcaraz was careful to note that his recent time away wasn’t the kind of break he wanted. "I took more than I wanted… Seeing how tight the calendar is, obviously I don't want to have this break because of an injury," Alcaraz said. However, he recognized that the break did let him rest and prepare for the US Open.

Complaints Are Piling Up

Alcaraz’s comments fall in the middle of a season that’s already been defined by injuries and withdrawals across the tour. The Professional Tennis Players Association released data in August that showed arm injuries are up 112% and upper-body injuries are up 42% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period the year before.

This points directly to the ATP’s expanded 12-day Masters 1000 format, which was introduced last year. The Professional Tennis Players Association put it bluntly in a statement that read, “The season is too long, recovery time is decreasing, and injuries are occurring earlier and becoming more severe.”

The withdrawal list at this year’s US Open alone includes 16 players, among them world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is missing a Grand Slam for the first time since 2019, and Elena Rybakina, who has openly agreed with Aryna Sabalenka’s assessment of the tour back in January, saying the length of the season is “insane.”

The Bigger Picture

Alcaraz’s statement adds merit to one of the sport’s biggest recent debates. With more and more stars weighing in on a complaint that’s been building for years, fans are hoping to see some changes in the near future before more injuries pile up.

Whether the ATP responds with real structural change remains to be seen, but for now, Alcaraz has made clear he isn’t waiting around. He’s going to start saying no, and other players may start to follow suit.

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