Tim Henman has urged the ATP Tour to make a major change to the calendar in order to help the Six Kings Slam.
The British tennis star-turned-commentator is currently in Saudi Arabia on broadcasting duties for the exhibition event.
Alcaraz leads the Six Kings Slam and the World No. 1 will play Jannik Sinner in the final after the two men swept aside Taylor Fritz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Novak Djokovic.
The event takes place during a busy time in the ATP Tour schedule and Henman has suggested a change in order to help the Saudi Arabia event.
Tim Henman says the ATP Tour should end earlier
The length of the ATP Tour has been questioned by several top stars, but it hasn’t stopped them playing the exhibition event in Saudi Arabia.
Zverev picked up an injury at the Six Kings Slam, while Tsitsipas returned from injury to play the event, and Djokovic struggled through his match against Sinner.
Henman believes the ATP Tour schedule should end earlier, which would give the opportunity to the players to play exhibition events in the longer off-season.
“In the bigger picture, it’s going to be a challenge with the calendar. If I could change one thing, it would be to free up the calendar,” said Henman to Tennis365. The 12-day Masters events are too long.”
“Players are in tournament mode too much. If you are able to shorten the season and play until the end of October, it gives players an opportunity to rest and prepare and take advantage of the opportunities out there.”
The Six Kings Slam is not the only exhibition event the top stars have agreed to play, as Alcaraz has also signed up for several American matches in December.
Ending the season early is a good idea, but not for the Six Kings Slam
Henman is right about one thing, but players should not be ending their season early in order to play exhibition matches.
If the ATP Tour scrapped two-week Masters events and finished the season by October, it would almost definitely allow the introduction of many more exhibition events.
If players were signing up for multiple exhibition events, not only would it dilute their impact but it could also have disastrous effects on the start of the next season.
Players could be forced to play catch-up ahead of the Australian Open as they recover from their extensive off-season of events.
