Alexander Zverev reveals he is not a fan of two-week Masters tournaments and suggests the ATP made the schedule harder for players instead of making it easier after repeated calls to make changes to what many think is a pretty crowded calendar.
In the past, Indian Wells and Miami were the only Masters tournaments longer than a week. In recent years, several othertournaments from the 1000-category became a 10-day or 12-day events, with Monte Carlo and Paris remaining as the only tournaments from the category that take a week to finish.
Zverev, who turned 28 in April and has been around for long enough to know the difference between the past and the new format, doesn't think the idea is great at all.
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Zverev: I think all the players loved the old Masters format...
During his appearance on the Nothing Major Show, the German tennis star noted that Masters tournaments are mandatory and that seven of the nine tournaments from the category last for more than a week. Then, the three-time Grand Slam finalist declared Monte Carlo and Paris as "the best two weeks on the ATP Tour."
I mean, I won it, which was even more awesome for me, but you get there, you play your five matches, and you get out of there. You do not have to stick around or practice in between matches. That is how Masters events used to be and I think all the players loved it. Now the ATP has made four mandatory 500 events for you to play, which used to be three, now its four. So you dont get under 20 events except if you are pulling out of the big events," Zverev added.
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To Zverev's defense, some of his colleagues have also spoken out against the new format, arguing that there is no need for a Masters tournament to take longer than a week and that it only makes the calendar harder. But on the other side, some also defended the new format, arguing that a usual day off between matches helps a lot to regenerate for the next match.
Meanwhile, Zverev is playing at the ongoing 1000-level event in Toronto, where he is due to meet Francisco Cerundolo in the round-of-16.
