Hectic tennis schedule killing us, says Alcaraz

'We have to talk about it and we have to do something about it'

BEIJING:

Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday doubled down on his criticism of the demands of the tennis calendar, saying "a lot of players" agree with him and "we have to do something about it".

The four-time Grand Slam champion last week said at the Laver Cup that the schedule is "going to kill us", adding his voice to the growing number of players speaking out.

The 21-year-old Spaniard is in action this week at the China Open, his 15th tournament of the year.

"I've seen and I've heard a lot of players complain about the schedule, about the calendar as well," he said.

Not among them is world number one Jannik Sinner, who made light of the issue when he spoke to reporters in Beijing on Tuesday.

"The schedule is quite long obviously these years. But we players, we can still choose what to play and what not to play," said the Italian, who this month won the US Open for his second major crown.

Addressing those comments, Alcaraz conceded that "it's about different feelings in every person", but added: "So I'm talking about myself, that the schedule, it's been so tight since the first week of January till the last week of November.

"We have to talk about it ourselves and we have to do something about it."

Alcaraz, the second seed, faces France's Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his opening match in the Chinese capital.

Top seed and defending champion Sinner plays Chile's Nicolas Jarry.

Novak Djokovic is not in Beijing while world number two Alexander Zverev pulled out.

Alcaraz said he is relishing teaming up with Rafael Nadal for Spain at the Davis Cup finals but hopes it won't be "a last dance" for the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

Spain this week named both players in their five-man team for the finals in November on home soil in Malaga, the duo having competed together in doubles at the Paris Olympics.

The 38-year-old Nadal was included for the Davis Cup despite not seeing competitive action since Paris and only playing one of the last seven Grand Slams because of injury and fitness struggles.

The 21-year-old Alcaraz said he had "missed" his compatriot at the recent Laver Cup, which Nadal skipped because of injury. "I don't want to think that it is a potential last dance for him in Malaga," four-time major winner Alcaraz said at the China Open in Beijing.

"Obviously it is a great support having him in the team.