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 noting that many players have added to the discontent with the new format of the Masters tournaments. And can the tennis world 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.” According to Djokovic, the players were quick to express themselves, but failed to appear and put their opinion forward in official conversations and meetings. Needless to say, Novak Djokovic knew that it was a difficult task. But it’s also the necessary thing to do. 

Top players like Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and many others have stood against the two-week Masters format. With the longer Masters 1000 events, there’s an increased risk of injury. Additionally, there’s less time to rest, train, and recover. 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.” Meanwhile, Tsitsipas took to X 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. With no substitutions, rotations, or scheduled breaks, this long season seems to impact the players’ lives in an unwanted way. 

“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.