"Of course, ridiculing colleagues is much more noble": Fans pile on Stan Wawrinka as he shades Stefanos Tsitsipas over criticism of 2-week Masters

Stefanos Tsitsipas recently voiced frustration with the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals), claiming that the two-week format has lowered the quality of the Masters 1000 events, calling them a "drag." In response, Stan Wawrinka subtly highlighted a double standard by sharing an older video of Tsitsipas, garnering criticism from several fans.

Tsitsipas took to X to express that the two-week Masters 1000 format diminishes quality by restricting players' recovery and training time. The World No. 12 highlighted the irony of the ATP adopting this schedule without evidence that it would improve the tour. His remarks came following Andy Roddick’s statements, who called the two-week format "dumb."

"The two-week Masters 1000s have turned into a drag. 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. It’s ironic that the @atptour committed to this format without knowing if it could actually improve the schedule, but the quality likewise," he wrote.

Tsitsipas further argued that the recently held Paris Masters, completed in a week, is more exciting and easier to follow.

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,"

However, Tsitsipas's views faced pushback from Stan Wawrinka, who shared the former's two-year-old interview with ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi. During the conversation, Gaudenzi explained that the two-week Masters format could create a “premium” product and allow players more rest between matches.

The 26-year-old also voiced his support for Gaudenzi's opinions:

"In a way also that means that the top 100 players are provided good financial support for their efforts annually," Tsitsipas said.

Fans largely disapproved of Wawrinka's actions, with one sarcastically remarking that mocking colleagues seemed more “noble” than raising concerns about the tour’s organizational issues.

"Of course, ridiculing colleagues is a much more noble and useful activity than trying to speak out about the problems of organizing a tour," they wrote.

"ATP players so tuned into Stef they can dredge up 2 yr old videos in an instant," a fan said.

"by no means do i like tsitsipas but being flexible in your opinions as and when things change is actually a very good quality to have," a fan opined.

Here are a few more reactions from the fans:

"Stan is in his petty era and we celebrate that 😃," a fan commented.

"Are people not allowed to have a change of mind nowadays?" Another chimed in.

"That's not an opinion, Stan. Do you have any on the matter? To be clear, trolling is not an opinion," one wrote.

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Stefanos Tsitsipas last competed at the Paris Masters 2024, Stan Wawrinka at Slovak Open

Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Rolex Paris Masters 2024 - Source: Getty

Stefanos Tsitsipas most recently competed at the 2024 Paris Masters, opening with a solid 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Roberto Carballes Baena. In the second round, he defeated Alejandro Tabilo 6-3, 6-4, followed by a hard-fought 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-2 win against Francisco Cerundolo in the third round.

However, World No. 12's run in Paris ended in the quarterfinals, where he fell 5-7, 4-6 to eventual champion Alexander Zverev. The 26-year-old holds an impressive 45-22 win-loss record, winning a title at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Wawrinka, meanwhile, last competed at the Slovak Open. The Swiss began his campaign with an impressive 6-4, 6-3 win over Maximilian Marterer but fell to Dino Prizmic in the second round, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6. Wawrinka has not secured a title this season and holds a win-loss record of 10-16.