Whether it be playing every week, not getting enough rest, or getting injured in the process, Carlos Alcaraz has been the most vocal he has ever been with the tennis calendar. Now, with Jannik Sinner‘s injury, which saw the World No. 1 end his 2026 season, the debate is back up, with Alcaraz once again being one of the leading voices.

“One of the reasons we have to see players getting injured is that I think they’re pushing us too far out of line sometimes to play a lot of tournaments and matches, and I think it’s going in the wrong direction,” said Alcaraz in an ATP Media interview. “I just wish Jannik the best for this month, just to be in good shape for the next season. Hopefully, I’ll see him soon, but I think they have to see a little bit of what’s going on in the tournament with the players.”

Having to play four Majors, nine Master events, and also four ATP 500 events as part of the mandatory schedule is no joke. Alcaraz himself had to play eighty matches last year, with sixty-seventy matches almost being the norm for the top-ranked players who make deep runs at events every week.

Alcaraz’s words are not far off the mark, as one only needs to look at Sinner’s schedule this year. Being the top-ranked player in the world, the Italian played five consecutive Masters events earlier this year, which saw him play 29 matches in a two-and-a-half-month period, a stat that validates Alcaraz’s opinion of “wrong direcrion”.

The Italian has not played on the Tour since his Wimbledon final. The knee injury that has been bothering him for some time kept Sinner out for the entire hard-court season in North America, with the Italian eventually pulling the plug for the entire season. Even though there were rumors of a comeback and Sinner was spotted training, the five-time Major champion had to focus on long-term health, while keeping the hectic schedule in mind.

Back at the Laver Cup, Alcaraz pointed out the toll the tight schedule was taking on the players, a point he doubled down on in the recent interview. While injuries are part of the sport, players do need adequate time to recuperate so that they do not flare up the same injuries again.

Alcaraz’s observations are quite spot-on, as was evident in Jack Draper’s case. The Former World No. 4 cut his 2026 season short, as the British player kept trying to come back after short breaks but did not have time to adjust to his physical condition. Even someone like Arthur Fils has struggled to keep playing events every week, with the Frenchman also dealing with injuries.

The points system in the sport is a major reason players often rush back. For mid- to lower-ranked players, a multi-month absence could mean a significant loss of points, with serious ranking implications. That is what someone like Holger Rune is facing right now, with the Dane getting a strong backing from Alcaraz.

Carlos Alcaraz Supports Holger Rune Amid Calendar Concerns

Coming from an injury is a risky and time-consuming process. Given recent circumstances, Carlos Alcaraz knows all about it. While voicing his concerns about the calendar, the seven-time Major champion sympathized with Holger Rune, as the Dane has made his comeback after almost a year, having suffered a leg injury in Stockholm last year. The Dane lost in his opening match against Daniel Altmaier, but Alcaraz was hopeful of a positive comeback for his fellow Tour professional.

“It’s a slow process,” said Alcaraz in his pre-tournament press conference at the Shanghai Masters. “The injury he had, it’s a really complicated one because I would say the movement in tennis, I would say it’s almost everything. I think his style is about the movement, to move well on court and cover the court as much as he can. He might lose some matches right now, but personally, I’m really happy to see him back on court.”

While taking a longer recovery path was beneficial for Rune’s fitness, the Dane’s ranking took a brutal hit. Currently ranked 195, the former World No. 4 had to use his protected ranking to play in Shanghai. Having reached the quarterfinals last year, this year’s first-round exit will see Rune fall way down the rankings, something that might hinder him from having direct entries at Grand Slams and Masters events.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, will be all set to go in Shanghai, as the Spaniard is coming on the back of a title win in Tokyo and will face Juan Manuel Cerundolo in his opening match.