‘JUST A JOKE’: THOMPSON SLAMS ATP CALENDAR, SAYS IT'S PARTICULARLY HARD FOR AUSSIES

Jordan Thompson, Getty

The structure and intensity of the tennis calendar have long been a point of contention.

With the season stretching across eleven months, even the top players struggle to find time to rest, and Australian Jordan Thompson believes the calendar is "a joke".

“Unfortunately, with the ATP schedule and how shit it is, we can’t afford to take breaks," Thompson passionately told the media after a round one Roland Garros defeat.

Thompson, now a veteran on the ATP tour, described the challenge in taking personal recovery time, where "other players have an opportunity to pass you in the rankings and with prize money. You just feel like you’re missing out."

And while an eleven-month season is long for everyone, it's particularly difficult for those based far from tennis' epicentres, Europe and North America.

"It’s even tougher for Aussies. The last few years, I’ve left [Australia] at the end of January and I’ve come back at the start of December because I’ve gotta wait until Davis Cup," he explained.

"There are opportunities to come home, but it is so far to get back to Australia, and I don’t see the benefit of going there for less than 10 days.

"By the time you acclimatise, it's an island in the middle of nowhere in a completely different timezone, and then you’ve got to come back and compete again, so I just don’t see how that’s beneficial for any tennis player."

Shop with a 15% storewide discount code: SERVE15 - excludes clearance items, machines, court equipment, and gift cards at www.tennisdirect.com.au

And with only 52 weeks to work with, an 11-month season doesn't leave players long for an off-season, let alone a pre-season training block.

“Our off-season is three weeks, which is rubbish. I’ve got some worse words for it, but it's just a joke."

Thompson began his 2025 season at the Brisbane International in December last year, just a month after the Davis Cup Finals concluded in Spain.

"If you play Davis Cup, you can take maybe seven days off, and that’s your offseason, because then you’re back into training and you’re leaving (for events) before Christmas," he said.

“Our 2025 season started in 2024. That’s just ridiculous."

For Thompson, the growing addition of two-week-long Masters 1000 events is a particularly glaring issue, and an easy fix.

With seven of these nine men's events now being fortnightly-long, 24 weeks are reserved for just the Masters and the majors (28 if you include Grand Slam qualifying).

“I hate the two-week (Masters) events. I haven’t spoken to a player who likes them," Thompson openly admitted.

"You are there for an eternity, it feels like. [When] I’ve made the doubles final, I've been in the same city for over 17 days. Why is one tournament taking that long to finish? Why do we need a day off playing best-of-three sets? It's just a waste of time."

More than valid questions, but with very simple answers. Money is winning out, with tournaments and the tour cashing in on more event days, at the expense of the large majority of their athletes.

While the Masters could be shortened, an overall solution is not easy. Cities all across the globe have their foothold in the calendar and want to hold onto their week of top-line tennis.

But if the pressure on players is so strong that they can't take any form of a break to reset mid-year, just to have one month off in December, something needs fixing.

Stan Sport is your Home of Grand Slam Tennis. Add the Stan Sport package now to stream the tennis ad-free, live and on demand. To come in 2025: The French Open, Wimbledon, US Open and Laver Cup.  Visit: stan.com.au/watch/sport/tennis