Carlos Alcaraz has been told his decision to play in exhibitions this month will be scrutinized if he loses early at the Australian Open.
Alcaraz enjoyed a successful 2024 season, winning the French Open and Wimbledon, but also generated attention throughout the year by repeatedly criticizing the length of the tennis calendar.
The Spaniard revealed there were tournaments he did not want to travel to because he felt burnt out, and also questioned whether the ATP was trying to kill the players by having so many tournaments, some of which are mandatory.
Alcaraz is not the only one who shares that opinion. Alexander Zverev bluntly accused the ATP of not caring about the players and claimed that the governing body was only interested in profiting from the players' efforts.
The schedule's critics are not confined to ATP stars. Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek has also vocally opposed the number of mandatory tournaments and believes the current situation is not sustainable for players.
Those words made some think Swiatek missed the entire Asian swing this year due to burnout, but it was revealed on November 28th that she was provisionally suspended at the time after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.
Swiatek had the provisional ban lifted on October 4th when further testing proved melatonin tablets she purchased had been contaminated with trimetazidine. She then received a one-month suspension, most of which the 23-year-old had already served while provisionally banned.
Alcaraz played in two exhibitions in the United States this month. The first was against Ben Shelton at Madison Square Garden. After an entertaining spectacle for the fans, he recovered from a set down to beat the home favorite.
The 21-year-old's second exhibition was against Frances Tiafoe in Charlottesville. Alcaraz lost that exhibition after the American produced inspired tennis that might have given him huge confidence ahead of the new season.
While it is a great occasion for the fans, some think Alcaraz is a hypocrite for playing in two exhibitions after complaining about the length of the tennis calendar. Billie Jean King predicted he and other players would do this last month and has no sympathy for him.
ATP president Andrea Guadenzi also hit back at Alcaraz and other players who complain about the schedule, saying they could choose to play fewer exhibitions to ensure they have more rest time.
Former Wimbledon semifinalist John Isner spoke about Alcaraz's choice to compete in exhibitions this month on the latest episode of Nothing Major podcast.
While he does not think the four-time Grand Slam champion should be criticized for that, the American knows it will happen if Alcaraz loses early at the Australian Open.
"None of us blame Carlos for going over there and picking up two huge cheques, but Sinner seems to be laying low after his fantastic year, going back to work and keeping a low profile."
“I think they’ll both be ready for Australia, but if Carlos doesn’t have a good performance at the Australian Open, a lot of people are going to come down on him because he was in the States in December playing exhibition matches instead of preparing. I don’t think that’s fair, but that’s the way it’s going to be."
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