Key Takeaways
- Daniil Medvedev voiced support for ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi’s planned structural overhauls set for the 2028 season.
- The ATP’s proposed adjustments would award more ranking points for deep runs at major tournaments and eliminate the substitution of Masters 1000 results with lower-tier points.
- Leading players including Carlos Alcaraz, Iga Swiatek and Alex de Minaur have continually highlighted the need to relieve schedule congestion.
Medvedev backs proposed structural adjustments for 2028
Daniil Medvedev has endorsed plans outlined by the ATP that would reshape tournament priorities and the ranking points system starting in 2028. The world number five addressed the proposals while preparing for his campaign at the Almaty Open, where he entered as the defending champion ahead of an opening match against Sho Shimabukuro.
The reform package, announced by ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi, targets calendar scheduling, player earnings, ranking point allocations, tournament structures and doubles competition. A central element involves elevating the sport’s biggest stages by awarding more ranking points for deep runs at premier tournaments, while removing the rule that lets competitors substitute three weaker Masters 1000 finishes with points earned at ATP 500 or ATP 250 stops.
Top players assess the demanding tour schedule
The relentless nature of the tennis calendar remains a constant talking point among the sport’s elite performers. During discussions surrounding tour fatigue, several leading figures have voiced their frustration with the demanding workload:
- Iga Swiatek said: “Well, when I look at the schedule, I think we’re playing too much, and the schedule is crazy.”
- Carlos Alcaraz remarked: “I think that the schedule is really tight. They have to do something with the schedule.”
- Elena Rybakina noted: “I think the calendar needs to be changed. Not just for us, to make the schedule more comfortable, but also for the fans, to make it easier.”
- Alex de Minaur stated: “The solution is simple, you shorten the schedule.”
Other competitors, including Holger Rune, Jack Draper and Taylor Fritz, have also voiced support for a reduced schedule.
Prioritizing major events to ease player volume
Speaking to media members in Kazakhstan, Medvedev explained that putting more weight on elite competitions could curb excessive travel and commitments across the year. The former US Open champion noted that participating in up to 30 tournament weeks annually is far from ideal.
Medvedev explained his preference for elevating key stops, observing that “it would be good” to place greater emphasis on the sport’s most prestigious gatherings. Under the proposed ATP framework, strong performances at top-tier events would decrease the urge for leading players to enter lower-tier tournaments solely to chase ranking points.
Despite the planned updates, the proposals do not address the expanded 12-day format currently used at seven of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments, leaving only the events in Monte Carlo and Paris scheduled across a single week.
ATP Almaty - Daniil Medvedev's projected path
Daniil Medvedev in 2026
Ranked no.5, the Russian played his last match on the 17th of October when he was overcome by world no.11 Rafael Jodar 6-3 6-4 in the semifinal in Shanghai (draw).
Currently, during this year Daniil has a compiled 45-18 win-loss record. The Russian clinched 3 titles in 2026 in Brisbane, Dubai and Hangzhou.
