Djokovic says players ‘not united enough’ over tennis calendar

Novak Djokovic said Thursday that speech astir reorganising the tennis docket has been going connected for astatine slightest 15 years and his chap players are “still not agreed enough”.

The magnitude of tennis the elite play was thrust backmost into the spotlight this week aft satellite fig 1 Carlos Alcaraz pulled retired of the Shanghai Masters to remainder and determination were a raft of injuries astatine the China Open.

Alcaraz and chap Grand Slam champions Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek each took purpose astatine the tennis calendar this week and railed against the fig of tournaments they play.

Speaking successful Shanghai, wherever Djokovic mislaid successful past year’s last to Jannik Sinner, the Serbian large said it was “very complex” and akin complaints had been going connected for years but to nary avail.

“More than 15 years agone I was talking astir america needing to travel unneurotic and reorganise the schedule,” said the 38-year-old, a 24-time Grand Slam champion.

“It’s an idiosyncratic sport… astatine the extremity of the time you tin inactive marque choices,” helium said.

However, “there are radical who conscionable don’t privation to alteration things successful our athletics for the better… erstwhile it comes to the players’ welfare”, helium added.

Players are “still not agreed enough”, oregon investing capable clip and vigor into trying to marque alteration happen, helium said.

“You request the apical players, particularly, to beryllium down and rotation up their sleeves and truly care,” helium added.

The Serb starts his Shanghai run connected Friday against Croatia’s Marin Cilic, ranked 94th.

Djokovic is backmost successful enactment aft a four-week break, having chopped backmost the fig of tournaments helium plays successful bid to widen his clip astatine the top.

He past appeared astatine the US Open successful aboriginal September, erstwhile helium was knocked retired successful the semi-finals by Alcaraz.

The station Djokovic says players ‘not agreed enough’ implicit tennis calendar appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.