"Unhealthy, pathetic": Tennis insider slams ATP as Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner set to play at Shanghai Masters just 48 hours after China Open final

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner delivered standout performances in the 2024 China Open final but had little time to recover as they immediately traveled to Shanghai for the Masters 1000 event. Tennis insider Jose Morgado criticized the ATP's tight scheduling, calling it "unhealthy" for the players.

Sinner entered the China Open final on a 16-match winning streak, while Alcaraz had yet to drop a set leading up to the championship match. The two had faced each other twice earlier this year, with both matches going the distance.

A similar story unfolded on the Diamond Court at the China National Tennis Center as the top-seeded pair gave it their all to clinch the ATP 500 title. Sinner won the first set via tiebreaker before Alcaraz managed to bag the second set and force a decider.

The third set also went into a tiebreaker and Sinner led 3-0. However, Alcaraz won seven consecutive points to register a 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3) victory. The 2024 China Open men's singles final was the longest match in tournament history, lasting three hours and 21 minutes.

After completing a photo shoot on the court, both players and their teams hopped onto the same plane to travel to Shanghai. Alcaraz and Sinner will begin their 2024 Shanghai Masters campaign in less than 48 hours after their China Open final on Wednesday, October 2.

Tennis insider Jose Morgado slammed the ATP schedule for not giving players enough time to rest. Taking to X, he wrote:

"Both Carlos Alcaraz (vs. Shang!) and Jannik Sinner (Daniel) will have to play their first matches in Shanghai... in less than 48 hours... That's unhealthy and actually almost pathetic for tennis as an organization."

This comes amidst Alcaraz's complaints against the ATP for drawing up a "tight" schedule. The Spaniard has reiterated his complaint multiple times in the past few weeks.

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Shanghai Masters 2024 2R: Carlos Alcaraz faces Juncheng Shang; Jannik Sinner takes on Taro Daniel

Jannik Sinner (L) and Carlos Alcaraz at the Croatia Open 2022 (Image: Getty)

The 2024 Shanghai Masters' main draw is already underway. The seeded players have received a bye in the first round. Top seed Jannik Sinner and third seed Carlos Alcaraz are scheduled to get their campaigns at the Masters 1000 event underway on Friday, October 4.

Sinner is scheduled to face Japan's Taro Daniel in their second encounter on tour. The Italian prevailed 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 the last time they faced at the 2022 Australian Open.

Meanwhile, Alcaraz is set to lock horns against China's Juncheng Shang. The World No. 51 got the better of wildcard entrant Coleman Wong 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.