Jack Draper expressed his concern for something that is becoming a growing issue on the ATP Tour.
At times during the 2024 campaign, players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek complained about how gruelling the schedule was.
There was little turnaround between some tournaments last season and the introduction of two-week Masters 1000 events has been divisive to say the least.
After making the Madrid Open semi-finals, the British number one has had his say on a topic that continues to be a big talking point.
Jack Draper says what he finds ‘scary’ about the ATP Tour
Though Jack Draper is still one of the younger players on tour, he has gained several years of experience on the circuit.
He experienced when each Masters 1000 event was one week, before they were changed to two-week tournaments in 2024.
There have been different opinions about the two-week events, but Draper does not approve of these tournaments lasting longer and he thinks the ever hectic schedule with less time off than before is concerning for the players.
“I think the way that the tour is at the moment and these two week events, and less weeks to be at home and train,” Draper told reporters. “It just seems that you are on a constant rabbit wheel and there is no way off it. I think that is scary to think about as a player.
“I know we are earning good money and playing in front of great crowds and it’s something I love to do, but it is mentally very taxing and something that I hope potentially the ATP and the tours come together at some point and clean it up a little bit, I suppose, to make it so there is some more space to train and work on our bodies.
“I think for me the big thing is the quality can suffer a little bit, there is a lot of top players who are in and out with their performances and it is purely because it is overplaying.”
Carlos Alcaraz agrees with Jack Draper’s view but Aryna Sabalenka does not
Draper expressed his concern for the tough nature of the ATP Tour, and Carlos Alcaraz previously expressed the same point of view.
Ahead of the 2024 Laver Cup, he said: “Many believe that this is a good calendar, but others think there are too many mandatory tournaments and there will probably be years with even more.
“In a way, they are killing us. Right now there are many players injured due to the calendar and other factors, but at some point, there will be players who will have to skip tournaments because they have to take care of their bodies, families, and other aspects of life besides tennis.”
But during her pre-Madrid Open press conference, Aryna Sabalenka spoke up in favour of the longer WTA 1000 events.
“I prefer two-week tournaments because having a day off between matches allows you to relax more, go out to dinner with your team, and explore the city,” Sabalenka said.
“Maybe in a few years I won’t be so interested in that and prefer to spend more time at home, but right now, that’s my mentality.”
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