Daijiworld Media Network - Greek

Greek, Feb 14: Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas has criticised the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) over the extended format of the Masters 1000 tournaments, stating that the increased workload for players must be matched by a rise in prize money.

Speaking on the ‘What’s the Call’ podcast, Tsitsipas said he was not opposed to playing more matches but felt players were not being adequately compensated.

“The most frustrating part about this is, okay, you’re making us work more, which is fine. Make us work more, but at least increase prize money,” he said.

He recalled a past interaction with the ATP chairman, during which the governing body’s long-term ‘One Vision’ strategy was explained to him.

“It all seemed alright when he was presenting it and sharing it with me. But there hasn’t been a significant change with prize money and compensation for players for getting to play more,” Tsitsipas remarked.

The 27-year-old acknowledged that the extension of Masters 1000 events was likely driven by commercial considerations such as streaming and ticket sales. However, he warned that the longer format increases fatigue and injury risks.

“It also creates much more fatigue and injury for players, and I don’t think it’s accidental that 2025 was the year with the most retirements on the ATP Tour,” he said.

While clarifying that he was not calling for the tournaments to revert entirely to a seven-day format, Tsitsipas suggested that a better balance must be found.

“They’ve got to find a sweet balance where we can still go over the normal amount but go within reason. Because the way they did it, they really extended it way too far ahead,” he added.

In a lighter moment during the podcast, Tsitsipas shared a personal anecdote about his first experience with alcohol during the Laver Cup.

He revealed that he had his first drink alongside tennis legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“That was the very first time I ever drank alcohol in my life. I had no idea what to order,” Tsitsipas said, adding that Federer encouraged him to try a drink.

“Roger is like, ‘Come on, you’ve got to have a drink,’ and I am like, ‘Ok, if Roger says I have got to have a drink, I have got to have a drink,’” he recounted with a smile.

Offering further insight into the personalities of the two greats, Tsitsipas described Nadal as relatively introverted, while portraying Federer as outgoing and playful.

“Rafa is a bit of an introvert; he is not going to talk like Roger does. Roger is a very confident guy. He will come to you, talk to you, ask you silly questions. He is a kid, Roger is a kid, in a good way. I like Roger being this way,” he said.