Medvedev Proposes Calendar Reform Where Only Two Tournaments Would Award Points

Daniil Medvedev, a Russian tennis player and former world number one in the ATP rankings, has proposed a far-reaching reform of the tennis season structure. His concept assumes that ranking points would be awarded only for performances in the four Grand Slam tournaments and the prestigious ATP Finals. All other events, including key calendar tournaments like the Masters 1000 series and ATP 500, would become purely financial competitions, with no impact on a player's position in the world rankings. Medvedev argues that such a change would primarily serve the health and long-term careers of tennis players. The current, very tight calendar, full of high-ranking tournaments offering large point pools, forces players to constantly participate in events under pressure to maintain or improve their ranking. This leads to physical and mental overload and more frequent injuries. In his opinion, removing points from the calendar outside the Grand Slams would allow players to plan their season more selectively and recover better. In recent years, the debate about calendar overload in professional tennis has been growing louder. More and more top players, such as Rafael Nadal, Novak Djoković, and Andy Murray, have repeatedly signaled the problem of too many mandatory tournaments and their negative impact on health and career longevity. In response, the ATP has already introduced some modifications, such as shortening the season or changes to the ranking system, but Medvedev's proposal is one of the most radical postulates on this issue. The proposal has received mixed reactions. Some tennis players and commentators see it as a rational solution to the pressing problem of calendar overload. Others, including some tournament organizers and former players, express concerns that such a move would devalue the importance of the entire ATP Tour cycle, reducing the motivation of the best players to compete in tournaments outside the Grand Slams and ultimately weakening the sport globally. It is unclear whether and in what form Medvedev's idea could be implemented, as it would require agreement and deep restructuring from the tennis governing bodies – the ATP, WTA, and the federations responsible for the Grand Slam tournaments.