“I’m Human, It’s Tough”- British Tennis Pro Slams ATP Owing to Poor Mismanagement on Tour

The remarkable 2025 season has seen Jack Draper rise rapidly, capped by his first Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells. Yet, despite his stellar form, concerns about the relentless tour schedule persist. Back in September 2024, he spoke out about the “mental calendar,” criticizing the ATP’s changes for leaving little recovery time. Now, at the Italian Open, after a visible moment of frustration on court, Draper voiced these concerns again. What did he say?

On Sunday, Draper held serve throughout and took the first set in 41 minutes, saving one break point. The second set was tougher as Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva saved four break points to narrow the score to 3-2. After Draper sent a drop shot into the net, he struck the clay four times with his racket, then slammed it on the floor by his chair, leaving three divots and breaking his racket. The 23-year-old received a warning from the umpire.

Though he won 6-4, 6-3, Draper felt the need to explain his outburst. In an on-court interview with Sky Sports, he said, “I’m human. It’s tough. I’ve been mentally and physically on for the last 3 weeks. These 2-week Master’s events aren’t easy, playing match after match. Especially if you go deep, there’s not a lot of time. There are days when you feel really tired. There are days when you don’t. But on the days when you’re tired, it’s tough to stay there mentally every point.”

For context, ATP and WTA players compete almost year-round worldwide. Top singles players often play 50-80+ matches annually across Grand Slams, Masters 1000s, and other events. Doubles players face similar demands. Fatigue stems from physically grueling matches, back-to-back play, travel disrupting sleep, and constant mental pressure. The expanded two-week Masters 1000 format further cuts recovery time.

Jack is not alone in his worries. Last year, Carlos Alcaraz warned that the schedule is “going to kill us.” By the Laver Cup in Berlin, Alcaraz had played 50 singles matches in 14 tournaments, winning three titles and an Olympic silver. After beating Ben Shelton, he said the tight schedule sidelines many top players with injuries and saps motivation. “Sometimes, you don’t want to go to a tournament,” he admitted.

Many top players like WTA’s Iga Swiatek have raised this issue repeatedly, but it seems to fall on deaf ears. Meanwhile, competition only grows tougher. Still, Jack Draper appears determined to overcome these obstacles.

Draper expresses his goals to overcome clay woes while channeling his idol

Last month, the British No.1 reached the Madrid Open final to face Casper Ruud but fell short in a tight three-set battle. Draper showed great composure and growth on clay, a surface he’s long aimed to conquer. “I suppose just very proud of the way my mindset is on the clay,” he said. “Maybe Andy [Murray] was the same… But it’s easy from someone from, say, the UK who doesn’t play much on the surface to think, ‘Oh, I’m not great on this. I’m not going to be any good.”

Draper is committed to overcoming clay’s challenges and improving his game. “Whereas I know that it’s going to be a challenge for me, but I’m going to give it my best effort to do well on it and find ways to be effective. I’m proud of the way I’ve approached that, and I think with that mindset, you can go a long way,” he added.

On the other hand, his opponent, Casper Ruud, also opened up about the tough tennis calendar ahead of their Madrid clash. “You see all the other players playing every week or doing a full season, it is kind of like it forces you to do it yourself,” Ruud said. “There are days where I wish the season was a bit shorter and that we had more time to really, really calm down and not think about tennis for a longer period. But we don’t. The schedule is the way it is.” He admitted.

Now, Jack heads into his next match against Corentin Moutet, with fans eager to see if he can keep the momentum and reach another Masters quarterfinal. With Draper’s rise and honest take on the grind, the clay season promises to test skill and stamina. What do you think- can he keep climbing? Let us know in the comments!