The packed tennis calendar has fueled growing debate across the ATP and WTA Tours in recent years. While several players have pushed for a reduced schedule, former world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas has taken a different view. The Greek believes he would be open to playing more tournaments, provided the increased workload is matched with higher prize money.

In a recent podcast named “What’s the Call,” Stefanos Tsitsipas has spoken openly about the growing concerns around the ATP schedule and player compensation. “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.

Tsitsipas also recalled earlier discussions with ATP leadership. 

“I got promised back in the day when I had an interview with the chairman of the ATP. He shared with me the ‘OneVision’ thing, and 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.”

The OneVision strategy was launched in 2022. ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi described it as a major step for the sport’s future. 

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“Our sport has huge upside and stands on the cusp of a new era of growth. Fulfilling our potential requires us to be united, pursue new growth opportunities and focus on what matters most: the fans. OneVision gives us a game plan to do just that. Its launch represents a game-changing moment for the Tour and a huge collective effort across our sport. I’m incredibly excited for what’s to come.”

Earlier this month, Gaudenzi was re-elected for a third term. He reiterated his commitment to the project and its next phase. 

“Now is the time to keep pushing. The second phase of OneVision is about unifying our governance, adapting and becoming more agile, because our sport is undeniably stronger when we move forward together.”

Tsitsipas also raised concerns about player health. He pointed to the number of injuries seen during the 2025 season. 

“I understand the reason they’re doing it is for streaming, selling more tickets, and obviously, there are so many reasons why this is happening.”

However, he believes the consequences are becoming visible. Fatigue and physical strain are increasing across the tour. “But 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.”

The Greek also spoke about the upcoming Sunshine Double. He criticized the demanding back-to-back format of Indian Wells and Miami. “To play well, you need to be fresh. Playing Indian Wells and Miami back-to-back is simply inhumane. Monte-Carlo allows things to rebalance a bit, because it’s a one-week Masters 1000: everyone is happy, everyone can focus for a week, and that’s largely sufficient.”

Despite the criticism, Tsitsipas did not call for drastic cuts. Instead, he asked for a more reasonable structure. “I’m not saying those Masters 1000s should go down to seven days, but at least 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.”

The debate over prize money and scheduling continues to grow. More players have begun speaking about workload and compensation. The issue is now becoming a central discussion point across the tour.

Jannik Sinner criticizes Grand Slams over delayed prize money talks

Last year, the top 10 male and female players submitted detailed proposals on prize money changes. The Grand Slam tournaments rejected those proposals in August. Their request for a meeting during the US Open was also declined.

The Slams informed players that meaningful discussions could not take place immediately. They said talks must wait until a separate legal case involving the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) is resolved. This delay frustrated many players.

Tournament officials also pointed to other ongoing matters. These included negotiations around the tennis calendar. Plans for a proposed Premium Tour were also cited as a reason for postponement.

Jannik Sinner voiced his disappointment over the situation. His concerns focused especially on player welfare. 

“We had good conversations with the grand slams at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, so it was disappointing when they said they cannot act on our proposals until other issues are resolved,” Sinner added.

Before that, in March 2025, tensions escalated further. The PTPA, founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, filed a lawsuit against tennis governing bodies. The case marked a major step in its fight for improved player rights.

The lawsuit claims that governing bodies have limited competition. It also alleges manipulation of prize-money structures. According to the filing, restrictive ranking rules prevent players from earning elsewhere.

However, at this year’s AO, there was a positive development. Tennis Australia confirmed a settlement of the antitrust case.

Meanwhile, the 2026 prize pool also rose to $74.9 million, a 16% increase and the biggest in the event’s history.

Now, more players are joining the discussion. Stefanos Tsitsipas has also spoken about prize money and a demanding schedule. 

With more voices entering the debate, the conversation around player earnings and workload is only set to grow.