Rafael Nadal proposed reducing the number of hard-court events on the tennis calendar, citing excessive physical strain on players’ bodies and joints.
The Spanish star’s comments arrived following a series of critiques regarding modern tournament structures, as WeLoveTennis reported on Nov. 12, 2026. Nadal previously suggested implementing a ranking system based on the past two years instead of a single calendar season, while also criticizing the expansion of ATP Masters 1000 events to a 12-day schedule.
“I don’t know how many professional sports are played on surfaces like this,” Nadal said.
“In tennis, we spend the majority of our time on courts that can be said to be very aggressive on the body and the joints.”
The 14-time French Open champion acknowledged that voicing these concerns during his active playing career carried professional complications. He said that critics would likely dismiss his stance as an attempt to use his historic dominance on clay for personal advantage.
“Nadal has no reason to want to eliminate hard-court tournaments, that would increase the risk of him losing his records on clay,” the account wrote.
“It is too late for him, but the ideas he put forward will improve the future for other players.”
Governing bodies have not indicated whether tournament directors or officials will incorporate the former world number one’s schedule recommendations into future tour planning.
Uncertainty remains regarding ATP adoption rates for the proposed reductions, according to the reporting published on Nov. 12, 2026.
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