Andy Roddick strongly criticised the gruelling tennis schedule and new format at some Masters 1000 events.
These tournaments are known as the biggest titles a player can win after the Grand Slams, with 1000 ranking points on offer for the winners.
They have produced some of the finest tennis matches in history and they traditionally lasted one week in comparison to the two-week Grand Slams.
While it was initially the Indian Wells and Miami Masters 1000 events that were spread over two weeks featuring 96 players with the top 32 seeded players receiving a bye in the opening round, things have changed in 2024.
The Madrid Open and the ongoing Italian Open have now adopted the same format and the ATP and are contemplating doing the same at the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open this summer.
Andy Roddick is frustrated with extending the length of Masters 1000 events
Speaking on an episode of his ‘Served’ podcast, Roddick, who played in these same tournaments throughout his career, understands the physical toll the tennis circuit takes on a player’s body.
Given how brutal tennis already is, Roddick does not see the positive effects longer tournaments are having on the competitors.
“These injuries and the calendar and the way it is laid out is doing my favours for the players, it’s short-sighted,” the 2003 US Open champion began. “Where do they build up their bodies?
“I’m looking at the schedule and thinking Madrid and Rome used to take up two weeks. You could take some time.
“You could miss one tournament, say the Masters 1000 in Monte Carlo, and you can get a month to train. That’s gone, that doesn’t exist.”
He added: “You’ve got to create some space. You can’t ask people to do an extreme thing with their body without preparing to do the extreme thing with their bodies. I don’t think recent results in Madrid are doing much for this longer format.”
Who will miss the Italian Open after suffering an injury in Madrid?
Two of the ATP’s top players will miss the Italian Open with Roland Garros on the horizon.
Jannik Sinner will miss the chance to play in front of his home fans after suffering a hip injury in the Spanish capital.
It forced the Australian Open champion to withdraw from the Madrid Open before his quarter-final match with Félix Auger-Aliassime.
Following a shock loss to eventual champion Andrey Rublev, Carlos Alcaraz will not play in Rome due to a right forearm injury.
Auger-Aliassime had three walkovers on the way to the Madrid Open final, including Jiri Lehecka, who defeated Rafael Nadal in round four.
He is also absent in Rome after suffering a lower back issue in Madrid. Though Daniil Medvedev was also hampered by injury in Spain, he is set to play in Rome and will begin his campaign on Friday.
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