Carlos Alcaraz plans longer breaks as packed tennis calendar raises injury fears

World number three Carlos Alcaraz said Wednesday he plans to take longer breaks from the tennis tour, warning that its packed calendar is contributing to injuries and fatigue among players.

Why is Carlos Alcaraz planning longer breaks from tennis?

Carlos Alcaraz plans to take longer breaks to avoid another injury-forced layoff. The Spaniard said he may step away for one or two months and miss some tournaments because competing throughout the crowded season risks burnout and fatigue.

Alcaraz returned at the U.S. Open after a lengthy absence caused by a wrist injury sustained in April. He made a winning comeback on Wednesday, beating Jaime Faria 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.

"I took more than I wanted but seeing how tight is the calendar, I don't want to have this break because of an injury," Alcaraz told reporters after the match.

"In the future, I'm going to take some long breaks. Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments, because it's impossible to play them all."

Why does Alcaraz think the tennis schedule is too demanding?

Since 2025, seven of the nine ATP Masters 1000 events have been expanded to 12 days. Only Monte Carlo and Paris have retained their traditional one-week formats.

The ATP has said players control their own schedules and that it is working to encourage an appropriate number of matches during the season.

However, Alcaraz said the growing number of major events leaves players with limited opportunities to rest, particularly because some tournaments are mandatory.

"They are adding more important tournaments. In a way they are making us play," he said.

"You can say no and decide your calendar, but there are some Masters 1000s, some Grand Slams, and we are out playing 40 weeks if we have to play every mandatory tournament that the ATP requires us to play."

Which players have missed the U.S. Open through injury?

Alcaraz pointed to the growing injury toll across the tour as evidence of the physical demands facing players. He named Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Holger Rune and Joao Fonseca among players who missed this year's U.S. Open.

"We are seeing a lot of players getting injured and tired. If they don't do anything about it, we are going to see even more in the future," Alcaraz said.

His comments came after he began his U.S. Open title defence with a four-set victory over Faria, marking his return to competitive tennis following his wrist injury.