Daniil Medvedev stated that the ATP Tour schedule should be refocused around the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events. As fo the ATP 250 tournaments, they can be moved to a time later in the year.
Recently, a number of athletes have expressed dissatisfaction with ATP’s new timetable. Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz claims that the demanding schedule makes it harder to maintain motivation throughout the year and raises the possibility of injuries.
The decision, which was also criticized by Stefanos Tsitsipas, will see seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events spread over 12 days starting the 2025 season.
Medvedev said: “This year I only tried to play big tournaments… I think there should be more big, important tournaments, which should be like, ‘Okay, these are the tournaments where we define who is going to be top 10, like Masters 1000.’
He added: “You play good in them, you will be there. The schedule should somehow be around them.”
Medvedev proposed holding the premier competitions earlier in the year, saying: “Then you put all the 250s after for people that want to continue playing.”
According to Stefanos Tsitsipas, two-week ATP Masters 1000 competitions cause a decline in quality because athletes do not have time off for recuperation or for the training required to maintain their form over an extended season.
Five of the nine Masters tournaments now take place over two weeks. Moreover, the ATP announced earlier this year that seven of the nine events would now take place over 12 days in the 2025 season. This decision did not sit well with the players.
Tsitsipas said: “The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag. The quality has definitely dropped. Players aren’t getting the recovery or training time they need with constant matches and no space for the intense work off the court.”
The athlete added: “It’s ironic that the ATP Tour committed to this format without knowing if it could actually improve the schedule, but the quality likewise. Paris got it right, done in a week. Exciting and easy to follow. Just how it’s supposed to be… If the goal was to ease the calendar, extending every 1000 (Masters) to two weeks is a backwards move. Sometimes, it feels like they’re fixing what wasn’t broken.”
Like Tsitsipas, four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz has also criticized ATP’s decision, claiming that the competitive tennis schedule makes it hard to maintain motivation throughout the year and raises the possibility of injury.
Alcaraz stated: “It is difficult. Sometimes I didn’t feel motivated at all… The calendar’s so tight. A lot of tournaments … not as (many) days off as I want.”
The two-week Masters events, according to Alexander Zverev, are ideal for players ranked between 50 and 100 in the world because they provide them the opportunity to compete in a main-draw event, but the timetable is not optimal for players in the top ten.
Zverev admitted: “Yes, you do get told you have a day in between (matches), you don’t have to play every day. At the end of the day that’s not resting… Resting is when you’re spending time at home, when you’re sleeping in your own bed, maybe with your family, maybe with your dogs, maybe with your kids… That’s what resting is.”
He added: “If you’re at a different place, that’s not resting. If you’re going deep in events… if you’re trying to make semi-finals or finals of every event, you’re just away a lot longer and you have to work a lot more. It’s as simple as that.”
The ATP finals could never hold a candle to the Grand Slams, or is it the other way around?
The age-old debate of ATP finals versus Grand Slams has once again sprung up in the conversation now that the finals are just around the corner. And the latest players that were asked to weigh in on the matter are World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev and World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Surprisingly, the two gave out two opposing viewpoints. The Greek sensation Tsitsipas asserted that the ATP finals are more significant than a Grand Slam tournament, as it is the place where the top eight singles players from around the world compete against one another for the prestigious title.
Medvedev and Tsitsipas
When asked whether Medvedev shares Tsitsipas’s opinion, the Russian player expressed his disagreement. Medvedev stated that, for him, a Grand Slam tournament is more significant due to its five-set format, which makes it more difficult to win.
Daniil Medvedev & Andrey Rublev were asked if they agree with Stefanos Tsitsipas’ statement that ATP Finals is bigger than a Slam
Andrey: “I didn’t win either. I would like to win at least something. 😂 Better ask Daniil, he won both.”
Grand Slam tournaments refer to the four competitions held annually in different settings. Its itinerary includes the Australian Open in mid-January (hard court), the French Open in May and early June (clay), Wimbledon in June and July (grass), and the US Open in August and September (hard court).
Each tournament is held over a two-week period. The ATP does not manage the Grand Slam tournaments; however, they provide the highest ranking points (2,000 points), highest prize money, the highest level of public and media interest, and the highest number of “Best of” sets (five sets) for men.
While the ATP cannot, in most parts, compare to the Grand Slam’s grandeur, as a player can only earn a maximum of 1500 points and can be won in three sets, it is more difficult to enter because only the top eight players are eligible to compete. Thus, it creates a distinctive ambiance that honors the finest in the sport, akin to an NBA All-Star Game.
An article from Essentially Sports perfectly summed up the difference between the two, “While some think the Grand Slams to be a better stage, some believe that the ATP Finals is the real chance for glory.”
Nevertheless, the spotlight for now is on the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy, where an all-European field of players is set to compete: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, and Alexander Zverev.
As Daniil Medvedev plunged into the Erste Bank Open, no one expected him to top Spanish world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in one category: most 2023 match victories.
But here he is, on the verge of winning the ATP 500 tour in Vienna, with 64 victories under his belt and officially overtaking Alcaraz’s record. Although the race is far from over, as there are still several tournaments left in the calendar year, it is still a fantastic achievement for the Russian.
September records: Medvedev Tops
The Spanish player was highly commended by the ATP Tour last month for having improved and achieved the highest number of victories in the current season’s tournaments. With 58 victories, Alcaraz held the lead in the ATP Tour, as indicated by Infosys’ ATP Stats. Medvedev, on the other hand, is the only other ATP Tour player to have achieved more than 50 victories.
Erste Bank Open
Medvedev downed several formidable players in the Vienna Open, outlasting up- and coming- French teen player Arthur Fils, World No. 17 Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, Russian-American Karen Khachanov, and finally Greek phenom Stefanos Tsitsipas.
And it was after the semi-final showdown with Tsitsipas that The Tennis Letter announced that Medvedev had secured his 64th win, his personal best, and snatched the title for the most 2023 match victories from Alcaraz.
On X, they wrote, “Medvedev d. Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 7-6. Daniil takes out his favorite nemesis & gets his 64th win of the season. He passes Carlos Alcaraz for the most match wins in 2023. ✅9th final of 2023✅8th hardcourt final of 2023. A Hardcourt God.”
Medvedev d. Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-4 7-6
Daniil takes out his favorite nemesis & gets his 64th win of the season.
He passes Carlos Alcaraz for the most match wins in 2023.
Medvedev kept his level of play at an even keel and appeared to be in control for long periods of the ATP 500 match, setting the momentum of most of the proceedings behind the baseline. The match lasted for an hour and 44 minutes, and Medvedev made just ust 10 unforced errors as he saved all three break points to reach the Vienna final with 6-4 7-6.
Medvedev addressed his prospective opponents in the final, saying that he has faced Jannik three times this year, which may be a record for him, as well as Andrey once.
“They’ve had an amazing year. Jannik is finishing really strong. I want to see how their match goes. It’s good conditions for both of them to play good tennis. Then I will prepare for the winner,” Medvedev said in a statement.
Daniil Medvedev on facing Sinner or Rublev in Vienna Final:
“I played both of them in the finals this year. Jannik 3 times, which is maybe a record for me. Andrey once. They’ve had an amazing year. Jannik is finishing really strong. I want to see how their match goes. It’s good… pic.twitter.com/zw1CIoWecQ
Novak Djokovic says he wants to go “full throttle” in the upcoming 2025 season and participate in an event prior to the Australian Open next year.
Since Serbia won gold at the Olympics in the summer, Djokovic has not played much this season. He withdrew from the Nitto ATP Finals and missed the Paris Masters due to an injury.
He concluded the season without winning multiple titles for the first time since 2005 and without a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2017.
He does not, however, appear to have any immediate plans to retire and follow in the footsteps of Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic admitted: “Tennis is still my focus… I am going at full throttle in the off-season, we go for another ride. I just needed to recharge and refresh a bit after an exhausting year.”
He added: “I am going to play in the first week of the season, I am just not sure yet where. Then, of course, Australian Open.”
Although Djokovic did not compete prior to the Australian Open this year, he won Adelaide to begin the 2023 season and went on to win the title in Melbourne. His primary goal for the next season is to achieve more Grand Slam success.
“I would like to play the Davis Cup too, let’s see what happens,” he declared.
An ‘ongoing injury’ has caused defending champion Novak Djokovic to withdraw from the ATP Finals. This season, the athlete has already qualified as the sixth most successful player on the ATP Tour, having won a record of seven titles at the event.
Djokovic said: “I was really looking forward to being there, but due to ongoing injury I won’t be playing next week,” Djokovic wrote on social media.”
He added: “Apologies to those who were planning to see me. Wishing all the players a great tournament. See you soon.”
The athlete did not specify the nature of his injury, and he will not play again this season. Currently, he has won a record of 24 Grand Slam men’s singles titles.
Djokovic’s athletic performance
In 2024, Djokovic won 37 of his 46 games and won his only championship in the Paris Olympics, where he finally received the goal medal he had been working hard for. Moreover, he has not won an ATP event since 2005, and this is only the fourth season since 2008 that he has not taken home one of the four Grand Slam championships.
Djokovic admitted: “I am not chasing ATP Finals, I am not chasing the rankings.” Furthermore, the former world number one confirmed his desire to focus on the Grand Slams in an attempt to extend his career.
Djokovic’s next match will probably be at the Australian Open, which will begin on January 12, 2025.
