PARIS, Nov 7, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Greek tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas believes the decision to extend several Masters 1000 events from one week to two is having a detrimental effect on players and tournaments alike.

Tsitsipas' appraisal echoes that of former world number one Andy Roddick, who earlier this week criticised the change in format saying: "They're so stupid, they're so dumb, it's the worst."

This year five of the nine Masters events -- the most important tournaments after the Grand Slams -- were played across two weeks, with plans to expand the playing fields in Toronto and Cincinnati in 2025.

"The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag," Tsitsipas, a three-time champion in Monte Carlo, which is still held over one week, wrote Thursday on his X account.

"The quality has definitely dropped. Players aren't getting the recovery or training time they need, with constant matches and no space for the intense work off the court."

Tsitsipas lost last week to eventual champion Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters, the last event of its kind on the calendar.

While Indian Wells and Miami are long-standing two-week tournaments, Tsitsipas says making what was once the exception now commonplace -- with Madrid, Rome and Shanghai also spread over 12 days of competition -- is hurting the sport.

"It's ironic that the ATP Tour committed to this format without knowing if it could actually improve the schedule, but the quality likewise," said Tsitsipas. 

"Paris got it right, done in a week. Exciting and easy to follow. Just how it's supposed to be.
 
"If the goal was to ease the calendar, extending every 1000 to two weeks is a backwards move. Sometimes, it feels like they're fixing what wasn't broken."