With his focus on the Grand Slams, Novak Djokovic hasn’t really appeared in any event since Wimbledon. Talking about it in the press conference ahead of the US Open, he said, “To be frank with you, I don’t enjoy the two-week master’s events anymore. It’s just way too long for me.” As per him, the tennis world now has 12 Grand Slams. And it’s all because the Masters events have also turned into two-week events. He simply doesn’t have the motivation to chase the rankings and build up points. Of course, the four Grand Slams are a different story altogether. But at the end of the day, Djokovic claimed, “I don’t have any schedule other than Slams to be honest.” So, does that mean Djokovic stands in support of the top athletes who are opposing the new schedules?

Before we answer that, it’s worth pondering if the tennis world will switch back to its former schedule? Well, Novak Djokovic doesn’t think so. He pointed out, “Unless all the masters events come together and the ATP board on the tournament sides is supportive of the idea of going back, which I really doubt. I don’t know what the sentiment is from the tournament sides, to be honest. But I’ve noticed that a lot of players, top players, have been, you know, quite opposing the new change of the almost two-week events at the masters level.” Unfortunately, Djokovic isn’t completely supportive of the players’ ways. 

He continued, “I support the players, but in the end of the day when the players needed to be active and when there was a time of negotiations and decision-making, players weren’t participating enough.” It was for this reason that the 24-time Grand Slam champion resigned from the ATP Tour Player Council in 2020 to establish the Professional Tennis Players Association with the conviction that players needed an independent unified association to put pressure on those in charge. Unfortunately, neither of the sport’s biggest names, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, joined Djokovic in the PTPA. 

Players’ displeasure with two-week Masters tournaments has only grown. With the longer 1000 events, there’s an increased risk of injury. Additionally, there’s less time to rest, train, and recover. Carlos Alcaraz claimed, “You train, you have to mentally prepare for the game, prepare for it… you’re not resting, really. It’s two full weeks. That’s why I prefer the one-week Masters 1000. For me, it’s better for tennis.” Stephanos Tsisipas also has a similar stance. 

The Greek ATP star took to X last year and wrote, “The quality has definitely dropped. Players aren’t getting the recovery or training time they need, with constant matches and no space for the intense work off the court.” Basically, this format seems to be disrupting the players’ routine. And that ultimately gives rise to terrorizing problems like burnout syndrome. So, what does Novak Djokovic have to say about that? 

Novak Djokovic addresses the nightmares that tennis seasons bring into a player’s life

Not too long ago, Djokovic had a conversation with Sasa Ozmo. He wanted to know about the ATP star’s thoughts on the rising cases of burnout in the world of tennis. With painful honesty in his voice, Novak Djokovic said, “Tennis has the longest season of all global sports 🎾. For most who play the full schedule, it’s from January 1 to late November. Other sports have more competitions now too, but tennis is individual — there are no substitutes.”

And that’s true! The ATP tour usually kicks off in late December and ends in late November of the next year. In 2024, the season lasted for almost 11 months and covered more than 70 events throughout the globe. “Here, every point matters, every day matters,” Djokovic continued, highlighting the importance of the major tournaments. He claimed, If you want to reach the highest heights, you have to transform your entire life in service of tennis and sport. You lose yourself…”

Despite being a pretty beautiful and entertaining game for both the fans and the athletes, tennis is also a relentless sport. After all, the warning that Djokovic issued during his last Grand Slam appearance – “Tennis is endangered” – is now echoing through the world. But can things change for the athletes in the near future? Let’s wait and watch the story unfold. For now, all eyes will be on the US Open. And if you don’t want to miss out on the action, head to EssentiallySports‘ live blog of the slam.