Alcaraz warns packed tennis schedule is taking its toll as injuries mount

Carlos Alcaraz has warned that the increasingly demanding ATP Tour schedule is contributing to player fatigue and injuries, with the world number three revealing plans to take longer breaks from competitive tennis in the future.

The Spaniard returned to action at the US Open this week after spending an extended period on the sidelines with a wrist injury suffered in April.

Following his four-set victory over Jaime Faria, Alcaraz said the intensity of the modern tennis calendar makes it unrealistic for players to compete in every major event without eventually paying the price physically.

“I took more than I wanted but seeing how tight is the calendar, I don’t want to have this break because of an injury,” Alcaraz told reporters after beating Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2 on Wednesday.

“In the future, I’m going to take some long breaks. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments, because it’s impossible to play them all.”

Alcaraz Questions Demands of Modern ATP Tour

The structure of the professional tennis calendar has changed significantly in recent years.

Since 2025, seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments have been extended to 12-day events. Only Monte Carlo and Paris continue to operate under the traditional one-week format.

The ATP has maintained that players ultimately control their own schedules and has said it is working to encourage a more appropriate number of matches throughout the season.

Alcaraz, however, believes the number of major tournaments and mandatory commitments makes avoiding an overloaded schedule increasingly difficult.

“They are adding more important tournaments. In a way they are making us play,” he said.

“You can say no and decide your calendar, but there are some Masters 1000s, some Grand Slams, and we are out playing 40 weeks if we have to play every mandatory tournament that the ATP requires us to play.”

Growing Injury List Raises Concerns

Alcaraz also pointed to the growing number of high-profile players who have struggled with injuries during the season.

Among those who missed this year’s US Open were world number one Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Holger Rune and Joao Fonseca.

For Alcaraz, the increasing injury list is a warning sign that the demands being placed on players need to be addressed.

“We are seeing a lot of players getting injured and tired. If they don’t do anything about it, we are going to see even more in the future,” he added.

The comments come as the world’s leading players continue to balance Grand Slam ambitions with an increasingly congested schedule of Masters 1000 events and other tournaments.

For Alcaraz, the lesson from his latest injury layoff is clear: taking time away from the sport may be necessary to ensure he can remain at the top level for the long term.

US Open 2026

The US Open is the fourth and final Grand Slam of the tennis season, taking place from August 30 to September 13 at Flushing Meadows in New York City.

The tournament is played on hard courts and brings together the world’s best players for the final major championship of the year.