Casper Ruud has expressed his discontent with the change of the upcoming ATP 1000 tournaments to two-week events.
The Norwegian made it clear that he isn't a fan of this structure for the 2023 Madrid Open and the 2023 Italian Open, which resembles the Sunshine Double that encompasses the Indian Wells and Miami Open.
The extended format, intended to increase competitiveness and provide more opportunities for players, has drawn mixed reactions. While some see it as a positive step for the sport, others, like Ruud, argue that it may create additional challenges, particularly for top-ranked players.
Ruud highlighted the logistical issues that may arise for players who suffer early losses in Madrid, pointing out the dilemma faced by the Top 10 players like Taylor Fritz. According to Ruud, if these players were to lose early, they would be unable to join a Challenger tournament during the second week due to their ranking, similar to Novak Djokovic earlier this year.
This would leave them with no choice but to bear the financial burden of staying in Europe for two weeks with their teams, without competing.
"A player like Schwartzman and Fritz, if they lose early in Madrid, they can't play a Challenger in the 2nd week because they are Top 10. They can't just comeback to Argentina or the United States so they have to pay for their teams for 2 weeks in Europe."
This concern is particularly interesting as the Monte-Carlo Masters, another ATP 1000 clay-court tournament scheduled in April, maintains its traditional 56-player format. Ruud's statement raises the question of whether the extended format for Madrid-Rome is indeed the best solution for players, or if it's creating unnecessary hurdles.
The 2023 Madrid Open is scheduled for April 26th to May 7th, followed by the 2023 Italian Open, which will take place from May 10th to 21st. As these high-stakes tournaments draw closer, it remains to be seen how players will adapt to the new format and whether the ATP and WTA will revisit their decision in response to Ruud's concerns.
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