Daniil Medvedev Offers Controversial Solution to Tennis Scheduling Problem

The concerns surrounding the tennis calendar have been highlighted by numerous players, each offering different solutions to what has arguably become the leading issue in modern tennis. The latest player to add his name to that list is 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev, who has proposed a controversial solution to the scheduling challenges players face today.

Medvedev, who has never shied away from expressing his opinions, admitted that he often chooses to play more tournaments himself, as they provide a quick opportunity to bounce back following disappointing results — a strategy he employed last season, which was arguably his weakest year on tour since 2018.

Medvedev Suggests Removing Incentives From Smaller Events

His proposed solution to the tennis calendar problem may be the most unorthodox suggestion offered by a player so far. According to Medvedev, the only realistic way to shorten the season would be to completely disincentivize smaller tournaments.

Speaking after his match victory in Dubai, the former world #1 explained:

“That’s the only way to make the tour shorter. It’s never going to happen because there are licenses, and the ATP won’t have enough money to buy all of them. The other tournaments won’t say, ‘OK, we’re out,’ because they would lose money. It’s business. Right now, with how the ATP Tour is, it’s never going to change, at least while I’m playing. Make it four Grand Slams, 11 Masters. The others, maybe make them without points.”

Expanded Masters Events Add to Player Workload

While tennis has historically operated on a packed year-to-year structure, scheduling pressures intensified when several Masters tournaments adopted a two-week format. The move aimed to increase draw sizes and, more importantly, generate greater revenue.

Initially welcomed by players who believed the change would allow more recovery time between matches, the longer format quickly began receiving backlash after only a few tournaments.

Twenty-four-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic later expressed his view that while players are justified in voicing concerns now, stronger resistance should have come earlier, before long-term financial agreements between tournament organizers and governing bodies were finalized.

Injury Concerns Keep Calendar Debate Alive

Reversing those structural changes now appears nearly impossible. As a result, Medvedev has suggested the opposite approach: maintaining the biggest tournaments while stripping ranking points from smaller events — a scenario that may prove just as unlikely to materialize.

However, discussions surrounding tennis scheduling are unlikely to fade anytime soon. Rising injury concerns involving players such as Jack Draper and Holger Rune, alongside continued comments from leading stars including Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek, have ensured that governing bodies remain under increasing pressure to prioritize player welfare and long-term career sustainability.