There have been multiple calls for rule changes in tennis throughout the 2025 season, with many players turning their attention to the gruelling schedule.
Iga Swiatek will play a more limited schedule on the WTA Tour in 2025, while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have also complained about the number of tournaments they are expected to play.
While the ATP and WTA Tour schedule debate rumbles on, there have also been several other grumbles about the current state of tennis.
Tommy Paul’s coach, Brad Stine, has now called for a major change to Masters 1000 events that would affect top players.
Brad Stine calls for the scrapping of byes at Masters events
There have been many complaints about Masters tournaments in 2025, including backlash to the new extended format for events such as the Cincinnati Open and the Shanghai Masters.
Paul’s coach Stine has called for the scrapping of byes in Masters 1000 events, which the top players currently receive.
Speaking to The Slice, Stine said: “I’m not a fan to be honest with you of the byes in the Masters 1000’s, or in the 250’s. I think that we should fill the draw. Why don’t we?
“I don’t like the idea that any player, regardless of their status, has a slight advantage. I only have to win four matches instead of five matches or whatever it may be in the Masters 1000s.
“I have to win a match less. I get to start later in the week, I get to arrive later in the week. I personally don’t like that. I think that the draw should be filled and there should not be byes in any draws during the year.”
What do players hope to gain from playing in exhibition matches? Do you think it’s only for financial gain?
The top eight seeds usually receive a bye at Masters events, which would include the likes of Alcaraz, Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Novak Djokovic.
The gruelling tennis schedule necessitates the need for byes
While the scrapping of byes is a nice idea on paper, it could cause even more congestion on the ATP and WTA Tours.
There are currently nine Masters tournaments on the calendar, and the top players reach the latter stages more often than not.
That means the likes of Alcaraz and Sinner would be expected to play a further nine matches a season, which could see them reaching breaking points.
Alcaraz played 80 matches in 2025, so a further nine on top of that would see him playing a gruelling number of matches in a season.
Perhaps the best idea would be to limit the number of byes to four, or even two, to help the players who play the most matches in a year.
