Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz Expose Tennis's Big Problem: The ATP Is Embarrassed!

These decisions by some of the biggest names in tennis have once again highlighted a major problem facing the sport.

The Serbian tennis star hasn't played in Canada since 2018, and after finishing Wimbledon injured, his withdrawal was expected. Jannik Sinner won the title in London while wearing an elbow brace.

Despite telling the Royal Family he felt fine, he decided he needed more time to recover and wouldn't travel to Toronto. Shortly after, news came from Spain that Carlos Alcaraz would also miss the Rogers Cup. Add to that Jack Draper's injury, and four of the top six ranked players will be absent from Toronto.

It's a tough situation for the organisers of one of the biggest tournaments, which will be held from July 27th to August 7th. The problem lies in fatigue and injuries – a direct consequence of the overcrowded calendar.

Novak Djokovic himself addressed this in London, as reported by Sportal, "Of all global sports, tennis has the longest season. For most players competing full-time, it runs from January 1st to the end of November.

"Every point matters, every day matters. If you want to reach the top, you have to transform your entire life to serve tennis. It consumes you, and it's too much for most." - Novak Djokovic

Traditionally, players had a three-week break between Wimbledon and the start of the US Open Series – ample time for rest, recovery, and preparation for the return to hard courts.

Now, the situation is different. Masters events are longer, with the Canadian Open running for 11 days. And the Thursday it finishes, the Cincinnati Masters begins. This is another reason top players are reluctant to compete in both. The message to the ATP leadership is clear: something has to change.