There is too much tennis without real stakes": Tim Henman's strong criticism of the ATP calendar
As the Masters 1000 events are extended and tournaments follow one another without a break, Tim Henman is challenging the ATP: we must restore meaning and rhythm to the calendar. His suggestion: reduce the length of the major events and reintroduce real weeks of rest.
The ATP calendar has been one of the most important topics of discussion for the 2025 season. Many players have complained about its density and the organization of the Masters 1000 events over twelve days, which seems to benefit the tournaments more than the players.
Ahead of the Masters final, former world No. 4 Tim Henman gave his analysis of the calendar, considering that it sometimes lacks "a readable common thread":
"Sometimes there is too much tennis without real stakes. In February, you can count up to twelve tournaments in four weeks. You have Sinner playing here, Alcaraz over there, Zverev somewhere else, and Djokovic in another place. For the fans, there is no readable common thread.
Having weeks without tennis is a good thing. It allows players to rest and fans to regain their desire for the next tournament. I'm not a big F1 fan, but it's quite simple to follow: one race every two weeks, about twenty races in total, points adding up, and breaks in between.
Tennis has fantastic assets, like the Grand Slams and the Masters 1000, but the Masters over twelve days are too long. Eight or nine days work better: it allows players to perform at the highest level while having time to recover and rest.
Right now, it's difficult for fans to follow. If I could change one thing, it would be the organization of the calendar.
