Top Tennis Stars Withdraw, Sparking Calendar Concerns

Basel, Switzerland — The recent withdrawals of Felix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud from the 2025 Swiss Indoors Basel and Vienna Open have ignited widespread concern among tennis fans. The exits of these high-profile players, along with others, have raised serious doubts about the ATP’s demanding schedule and its impact on player health.

The turmoil began in Basel when Jakub Menšík pulled out of his second-round match against João Fonseca due to a left foot injury, granting Fonseca a path to the quarterfinals. Shortly after, Auger-Aliassime retired from his match against Jaume Munar. After losing the first set 6-3, he cited a back issue as the reason for his exit, leaving fans disappointed. Tennis TV tweeted, “Not how we wanted that to end. Unfortunately, Felix Auger-Aliassime is forced to retire while Jaume Munar leads 6-3.”

Other matches in Basel saw Denis Shapovalov also retiring early against Fonseca while trailing 3-6, 6-3, 4-1. Ruud, too, joined the list of casualties. He withdrew after dropping the first set 6-7 against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, indicating he was struggling with an ankle injury.

The situation in Vienna mirrored the chaos in Basel. Stefanos Tsitsipas withdrew just hours before his opening-round match due to persistent back problems, marking his third consecutive withdrawal. Tallon Griekspoor later also pulled out ahead of his quarterfinal against Alexander Zverev, allowing Zverev to advance directly to the semifinals.

With so many leading players sidelined, fans have raised questions about the ATP’s congested calendar. Recently, the ATP added a 10th Masters tournament in Saudi Arabia, which has intensified concerns about player fatigue and injuries. On social media, tennis fans conveyed their frustrations in a mix of humor and serious critique. One Reddit user remarked, “The schedule is packed, there are too many tournaments. ATP: lol,” highlighting the community’s sentiment regarding the situation.

As the 2025 season approaches its conclusion and the ATP prepares for another expanded schedule, the growing demand for a balance between tournament frequency and player health has never been more evident. Many supporters are voicing the need for better management of player rest, emphasizing that the quality of matches greatly depends on the players being at their best.