Are the ‘mini Grand Slams’ working? – Second Serve

The Madrid Open, which is in its halfway point, makes for the ideal time to address a contentious issue in tennis.

There has been some unrest over the use of stretching several ATP and WTA tournaments over the course of a fortnight, and how effective it has been.

The idea was that the longer events would have more weight, leading to “mini Grand Slams” in their own right.

That increased financial opportunities for more players, according to ATP and WTA CEOs.

Players would benefit from having days off between matches, which would facilitate better recovery and, theoretically, higher-quality matches.

Fans would become more engaged, and there would be more media coverage, which would create the same level of buzz as the four majors’ predecessors.

Many people have not liked how it turned out.

There are undoubtedly differences between the players. When asked what they preferred, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek both responded positively in Madrid.

Swiatek added that she doesn’t “think about it anymore because she can “rest” physically and mentally between matches.

However, the players who regularly participate in these draws are the ones who get the most out of the days off.

Other people have expressed concerns further down the chain.

The Professional Tennis Players’ Association filed a lawsuit claiming that “the ATP and WTA have given them less time between tournaments in order to endure a longer season.”

It was also interesting that the PTPA co-founder Novak Djokovic, who had a pre-Madrid press conference, had a lengthy response to the question.

When Carlos Alcaraz claimed to be “slave” to the game, Djokovic made reference to the negative effects of the extravagance.

“We currently have maybe 12 Grand Slams, which is essentially four. He said, “It’s a lot.”

Six of the ten WTA 1000s and seven of the nine ATP Masters are currently being played over a fortnight.

The combined Madrid Open, which consists of main-draw and qualifying matches, started slowly in the first week.

Although the grounds were swelled by hundreds of children on school trips, the main stadiums at the Caja Magica were rarely full.

The disjointed scheduling can seem illogical and challenging to follow for many of those farther away.

Will there be a change?

While the WTA insists the circuit is always under review, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi, who is also a member, says the structure does not increase workload.