Alcaraz once again lashes out at the calendar with more determination than ever

Carlos Navarro - 8 Oct 2026 | 19:10
Carlos Alcaraz ATP ATP Shanghái 2026 Calendario

The Murcian did not hold back and spoke again about the extreme fatigue generated in players by the schedule, linking the injury plague to the mandatory tournaments.

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Alcaraz's confession regarding the calendar before Shanghai.

Carlos Alcaraz has arrived at the ATP Shanghai 2026 eager to unleash his magnificent winning streak. Carlitos found the magic just in time in Tokyo, saving sets and difficult moments to declare himself champion of a tournament that has returned his smile through victories and confidence: with the freshness that all the time away from the courts brings him at the midpoint of the year, the Murcian now appears in Chinese territory ready to win, aware that the opportunity to add a Masters 1000 that he still does not possess is more within reach than ever.

The absence of Jannik Sinner opens the door for someone who has never advanced beyond the quarter-finals in this tournament. It is surprising, given Carlos's relative experience on tour, but he is not the best friend of the Asian tour: surprising losses to Dimitrov or Machac and a painful absence last year, when the ankle twist he suffered in Tokyo made him realize that the best thing was to take a break. Perhaps chaining tournaments at this point in the season is not the most advisable, but all the time of rest away from the courts has not made the Murcian change his mind about the wear and demands of the calendar... and before his debut in Shanghai, he has reiterated it once again.

"We're going down the wrong path": Alcaraz speaks out

Carlitos was unreserved in expressing his dissatisfaction with the current structure of the tour: too many mandatory tournaments that, according to him, cause players to "cross the line" each season. He stated this, precisely to the microphones of ATP: "One of the reasons we see so many players getting injured is that they are pushing us too hard, sometimes even crossing the line. We play so many tournaments, so many matches, and I think that things are going in the wrong direction", said the Murcian, who personalized his argument around the figure of Jannik Sinner. "I wish Jannik all the best in the coming months, so he can be in a good place for the next season. I hope to see him soon".

These statements were quite forceful once again... but by no means the only topic of conversation. Carlos also referred, with the maturity that characterizes him, to how he has mentally coped with the long period he has been away from the courts. Did he doubt whether he would feel free on the court again, preserving that distinctive identity in his tennis? Did those fears and doubts cross his mind? Even the best have moments when they struggle mentally... and Carlos has no problem admitting it. 

"Yes. Injuries make you think the wrong way. Sometimes I thought about whether I would come back in good condition, whether I would return as the same player I was before, whether I would feel pain in my wrist on every forehand I hit... there were a couple of moments of doubt within myself, but I think that when you're surrounded by good people, by a great team that you trust, all of that becomes much easier." A lesson in knowing how to be that puts into context the value of that hug with his entire team after being crowned champion in Tokyo: the validation of all the previous work, of the care and affection that each team member has put into his recovery, the light at the end of a tunnel that did indeed have shadows. Next stop, Shanghai.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz vuelve a disparar contra el calendario con más voluntad que nunca