The Canadian Open has become a battleground for player frustrations, with several top competitors voicing concerns about lightning-fast courts and the tournament’s two-week format. The complaints reached a crescendo when World No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 4 Taylor Fritz joined a growing chorus of players expressing their dissatisfaction with the Toronto event.
Ben Shelton Explains Why Players Are Having a Problem at the Canadian Open
Ben Shelton, who reached the quarterfinals with a hard-fought victory over Flavio Cobolli, offered his perspective on the mounting criticism. The American acknowledged that while the conditions play to his strengths, they create significant challenges for players who don’t regularly compete in similar environments.
“It (the conditions) helps a lot of my weapons,” Shelton said. “But when you’re not playing in these type of conditions throughout the year, it can be difficult to adjust and find your range.”
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A furious finish sees Shelton past Cobolli 6-4 4-6 7-6, reaching 100 tour-level wins and 4th ATP Masters QF!@BenShelton #NBO25 pic.twitter.com/lh1hfO030F
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Beyond the playing conditions, Shelton pointed to a more fundamental issue with the tournament structure. “These two-week tournaments you’re playing two-set matches, three-set matches, and you’re getting a day off in between, which everyone talks about in the locker room now, the level of tennis suffers,” he explained.
Shelton contrasted this with the traditional one-week Masters 1000 events, where he believes the tennis reaches a higher standard. “The level is definitely higher in those one-week tournaments, when you’re playing two out of three sets and you’re playing back-to-back days and you get into a consistent rhythm of playing.”
The stop-start nature of the extended format creates rhythm problems that affect player performance throughout the tournament. “It’s tough with the start and stop, and I think that a combination of those things is probably what players are talking about and what’s throwing a lot of guys off.”
Why Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz Have Complaints About the Canadian Open
The German star didn’t mince words when discussing the ATP’s scheduling decisions. Zverev, in a recent appearance on “The Nothing Major Show,” hosted by former American tennis players Sam Querrey, John Isner, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock, delivered a scathing assessment of the two-week format.
“I think this is one subject where ATP has to really think about it and kind of find a solution a little bit as well,” Zverev said. “I’ve not heard a single player say that they love the two-week masters event. I don’t even think fans like that.”
Zverev’s criticism extended beyond player preferences to question the business logic behind the format change. “They don’t like waiting for two days for their favorite player to play again. I understand that tennis is a business, but I am not sure that business plan is working very well right now.”
Meanwhile, Fritz focused his frustration on the playing conditions themselves. The top-ranked American complained about the lightning-fast court speed and unpredictable ball behavior following his third-round victory.
“I’ve been having an incredibly hard time just putting the ball in the court,” Fritz admitted, describing conditions that have left even experienced professionals struggling with basic shot-making.
The American’s frustration was evident as he detailed the unpredictable nature of the courts. “Typically, when I’m missing shots, I know exactly why I’m missing… In my first-round match, there’s balls going 10 feet long that feel exactly the same as the one that was just right before that went in.”
“The conditions have been really hard to just play good tennis,” Fritz lamented. “There’s a lot of ugly tennis, there’s a lot of people double-faulting, a lot of mistakes.”
The current controversy stems from the ATP’s gradual expansion of the two-week format across its premier events. The extended structure first appeared at the Miami Masters in 1997, followed by Indian Wells in 2004. The format gained further momentum in 2023 when Madrid, Rome, and Shanghai adopted a 12-day structure.
This year marks a significant expansion of the concept, with both the Canadian Open and the upcoming Cincinnati Open implementing the extended format. The change represents the ATP’s effort to maximize revenue and television coverage, but it has clearly created tension with the players who must navigate these longer tournaments.
As the tournament progresses, Shelton will face Alex de Minaur for a place in the semifinals, carrying with him the knowledge that his adaptability to these challenging conditions could prove crucial.
