Tennis has no offseason. What used to be a time for rehab, home and holiday, has evolved into perpetual exhibitions.
In late November, Carlos Alcaraz skipped the Davis Cup Final to recuperate from a hamstring injury. Jannik Sinner opted out of the Davis Cup Final too.
Yet, in less than a week, Alcaraz will be in Newark, N.J. to play Frances Tiafoe in an exhibition match called A Racquet at The Rock. The next day, Alcaraz will play in the Miami Invitational against Joao Fonseca, in a baseball stadium. In January, Alcaraz and Sinner will play in an exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, mere weeks before the Australian Open.
Although many top players complain that the season is too long, they keep adding unofficial matches to their schedule. The lure of guaranteed money, little pressure and a chance to spar against other top players, make offseason exhibitions ideal tune-up tournaments.
Tiafoe and Alcaraz met in the Charlotte Invitational in Charlotte, North Carolina in December, 2024. Alcaraz finished 2024 ranked No. 1.
Still, some accuse Alcaraz of hypocrisy. Why criticize the length of your season if you keep extending your schedule?
During a press conference regarding the Six Kings Slam exhibition in October, Alcaraz explained his stance to BBC Sports.
“All I can say is it’s a really different format, different situation playing exhibitions than the official tournaments, having 15, 16 days in row, having such a high focus and demanding physically,