Carlos Alcaraz stands by criticism of the tour schedule and pays tribute to Nadal

Carlos Alcaraz reiterated his comments on the current tour calendar, telling reporters at the China Open that there are “many players” who agree with him.

The four-time Grand Slam champion said during the Laver Cup that the season plan “will kill us (players)‘ in a way. Currently, the tennis season starts in January and the last tournament ends in November, leaving players with only four weeks of off-season, during which many of them also take part in exhibition matches.

Alcaraz returns to action this week in Beijing, where he is seeded second behind Jannik Sinner, and speaking on the subject again, the Spaniard believes many others on the Tour share his view.

“I have seen and heard many players complaining about the schedule and also the calendar,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

However, world number one Sinner has a slightly different view on the matter. The Italian argues that players have a choice in most tournaments and suggests that careful planning is the best way to avoid burnout. However, some events on the tour are mandatory.

“It’s about different feelings for each person,” Alcaraz said in response to Sinner’s comments.

“So I’m talking about myself. The schedule was so tight from the first week of January to the last week of November.

“We have to talk about it ourselves and we have to do something about it.”

The 21-year-old has already secured his place at the season-ending ATP Finals in Milan from November 10-17, but he has also been named in the Spanish Davis Cup team for the Final 8 event in Malaga, which will take place later that month.

Also in the squad is Rafael Nadal, who has not played a competitive match since the Paris Olympics. He is also currently scheduled to play an exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia next month, but it is not known if he will play in another ATP tournament this year.

“I miss him. I’m not going to lie, I miss him at the Laver Cup.” Alcaraz said of his tribute to Nadal:

“It’s a privilege for me to be able to spend as much time with him as possible. I don’t want to think about the fact that this might be his last dance in Malaga. I just want to enjoy seeing him on the pitch as much as possible.

“Of course it is a great support to have him on the team. He can bring a lot of experience to the Davis Cup. For me it will be my first Davis Cup final. It will be a great experience for me.”

Alcaraz will be aiming for his fifth tour title in China in 2024. His opening match will be against Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who reached the fourth round of Wimbledon earlier this year.