Carlos Alcaraz has blamed the relentless tennis schedule for injuries after Jannik Sinner confirmed he will end his 2026 season due to a knee issue. The world No. 1 has not played since defending his Wimbledon title in July and will be out of competition for at least six months.
Alcaraz points to congested calendar
Alcaraz, who missed the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year with a wrist injury, believes players are being “pushed too much” by the demands of the tour. The world No. 3 returned at the US Open in late August and defended his Japan Open title in Tokyo this week, his first title since February.
Asked about the long injury absences affecting both him and Sinner, Alcaraz told ATP Media: “Well, I would say one of the reasons we have to see the players who are getting injured, I think they [are] pushing us too much out of the line sometimes to play a lot of tournaments, to play a lot of matches, and I think this is getting in the wrong direction.”
Sinner sidelined until 2027
Sinner has not played since beating Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final, missing the North American hard-court swing, the ATP 500 event in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters before shutting down his season. He will undergo a course of therapy for his knee and is not expected to return before January.
Alcaraz sent his well-wishes to his rival but repeated his concerns. He added: “I just wish Jannik the best for these months just to be in a good shape for the next season. Hopefully see him soon. But I think they have to see a little bit what’s going on, on the tour and with the players.”
Growing criticism of the tour
The 23-year-old has been increasingly vocal about the demands of a tour that runs from January to late November. A couple of years ago, he claimed “they are going to kill us in some way” when referring to the relentless nature of the schedule.
According to The Times, Alcaraz recently withdrew from the player group campaigning for the Grand Slams to offer a greater share of revenue and give players a say in decisions. He has now turned his attention to the ATP calendar, with 12-day Masters tournaments and mandatory events raising concern.
During his comeback at the US Open, Alcaraz admitted he would take breaks to avoid burnout and injuries. He also confessed to doubts during his own wrist injury layoff: “Honestly, I think injuries make you think a little bit in the wrong way. Sometimes, you know, I thought about, I don’t know it I was going to come back good, if I was going to come back the same player that I was before. If I was going to feel the wrist every forehand that I’m going to hit and everything.”
“So there were a couple of moments of doubts about myself. But I think when you’re surrounded by great people, a great team that you trust 100 per cent, I think everything comes easier.”
