Why tennis stars are slamming new ATP Masters 1000 format
What's the story
Men's singles world number one, Jannik Sinner has joined the growing list of players criticizing the new ATP Masters 1000 format expansion. The change, effective from the ongoing Cincinnati Open, was introduced as part of ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi's OneVision plan. It has extended seven of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments to two weeks (12 days). These include Indian Wells, Miami, Rome, Canada, Cincinnati, Shanghai, and Madrid. The singles draws at these events will now feature 96 players each.
Format
Format change and subsequent criticism
Unlike the other Masters tournaments, Monte-Carlo and Paris are the only ones in this category to have retained their traditional single-week and 56-player format. As per a report by ATP, the change is part of a "broader ATP Tour shift: bigger events, greater long-term value, and more returns for players and tournaments." The change to a longer format has been met with criticism from tennis stars, including Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, and Jack Draper.
Reaction
Sinner critical of the new format
The 12-day format has also drawn criticism from tennis fans, who believe it offers an inferior spectacle. Sinner's comments came after he beat Terence Atmane to reach the Cincinnati Masters final. He said, "My personal view, I love the one-week events... And if one good seeded-player loses, the next match is an incredible match still." Sinner also expressed his confusion over the new tournament schedule, saying it is difficult for players to keep track of when a finalist plays.
Monetary benefits
Monetary benefits for players
While the new format faces backlash, ATP chairman Gaudenzi highlighted the strategic goal to "provide more money to more players." "We've done it with the player pension expanding from 165 to 300 players, by more than doubling prize money at the Challenger level since 2022. And we're doing it though big events, with big stages and bigger draw sizes, that drive the commercial engine of the sport," said the ATP chief.