Carlos Alcaraz made his frustration with the ATP schedule clear last year when he warned, “They’re going to kill us in some way.” His concerns were echoed by many players such as Iga Swiatek and Taylor Fritz. Still, it looks like Tommy Paul’s coach sees things from an entirely different angle.

Brad Stine isn’t buying the idea that players are victims of the calendar. In fact, he’s putting the onus back on the players. “I think the ATP circuit players forget that this is not a team sport,” he stated recently. The 67-year-old further explained that “We are not in a league like the NBA, we are independent entrepreneurs. And it’s a free market… No one threatens them with a weapon to force them to play. They can take all the weeks off they want. Are there any consequences? Of course. And it’s normal.”

Even after his loss at the ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz (who had just skipped Spain’s Davis Cup run due to a right hamstring edema) still chose to face two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in Newark on December 7, then hopped on a flight to Miami to take on rising Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca the very next day, a decision that some question considering his earlier remarks on the scheduling.

Alcaraz explained that exhibitions simply aren’t the same as tournaments. He said “the biggest difference is that in a tournament you have to stay focused and it is expensive both from a physical and mental point of view. A performance is only one day.”

In other words, exhibitions don’t drain him the way a long tournament week does, which is why he feels comfortable playing them even during a busy stretch.

Still, the bigger debate remains. Many players argue the schedule is becoming too much, with nonstop travel, quick surface changes, and barely any time to recover. They feel the sport demands more than the calendar allows, leaving little space for proper training or avoiding injuries, while trying not to incur points penalties for skipping mandatory tournaments.

That’s why some believe the system is pushing players into a constant cycle of fatigue and burnout.

Lower-ranked players benefit from having more events, but top players often feel pressured to compete every week to maintain their ranking and honor commitments. This leads many to question whether the tour is more focused on business than on the athletes’ health. So when Brad Stine says it’s ultimately on players to choose whether or not to play, his point hits hard for a lot of fans and insiders who see both sides of the issue.

But Stine doesn’t stop there. Tommy Paul’s coach also calls for real change to the tennis calendar, arguing that the current setup gives an “advantage for top players.” So what exactly did he say?

Brad Stine’s bold call to scrap Masters byes

The debate over the ATP and WTA schedules is still raging, and now another issue has joined the conversation. Brad Stine believes that a major change is needed at Masters 1000 events, one that would directly impact the tour’s biggest stars. With growing frustration over the new extended formats at tournaments like Cincinnati and Shanghai, he thinks the system needs to be rebalanced.

Brad Stine’s main point is simple: he wants Masters 1000 tournaments to get rid of byes. Right now, top players automatically skip the first round, something many fans and players see as an unfair advantage. Speaking to The Slice, Stine admitted, “I’m not a fan to be honest with you of the byes in the Masters 1000’s, or in the 250’s. I think that we should fill the draw. Why don’t we?” He believes tournaments should start with a full field so every player begins on equal footing.

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He further explained that what bothers him most is the built-in edge that higher-ranked players enjoy. As Stine put it, “I don’t like the idea that any player, regardless of their status, has a slight advantage. I only have to win four matches instead of five matches or whatever it may be in the Masters 1000s.” To him, skipping a match and arriving later in the week gives top players a head start that doesn’t really fit the spirit of competition.

And in the end, Stine summed up his view, saying, “I personally don’t like that. I think that the draw should be filled and there should not be byes in any draws during the year.” Currently, the top eight seeds receive byes at Masters events, players like Alcaraz, Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Novak Djokovic. But if Stine had it his way, every player would step onto the court from day one.