“Having a gold medal is above anything else, but not in tennis”: Patrick Mouratoglou suggests Alcaraz and Sinner could skip 2028 Olympic Games

Wednesday, 29 July 2026 at 22:30

Patrick Mouratoglou has raised a question that could become one of the biggest debates of the 2028 tennis calendar: whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner might decide to skip the Los Angeles Olympic Games because of the schedule.

The renowned coach reacted after the official dates for the LA 2028 tennis tournament were confirmed, with competition set to begin just three days after the Wimbledon final and on a completely different surface. The quick transition from grass in London to outdoor hard courts in Los Angeles has already sparked concerns about player workload and recovery time.

For the biggest stars in the sport, the issue is even more significant. Wimbledon, the Olympic Games and the end of the European swing would all fall within a short window, forcing top players to manage two Grand Slams and the Olympics in roughly two months.

Mouratoglou believes the compressed calendar could eventually force players to make uncomfortable choices between national pride and long-term health, with Alcaraz and Sinner emerging as the clearest examples of the dilemma facing the elite stars.

“I don’t know if Alcaraz and Sinner will decide to play”

Mouratoglou was blunt in his assessment of the Olympic schedule, arguing that the timing leaves very little room for recovery after one of the most physically and mentally demanding tournaments of the season.

“Have you seen that tennis at the 2028 Olympic Games starts three days after the Wimbledon final, and it’s in Los Angeles on hard courts? This is crazy,” Mouratoglou said in an Instagram video.

“The Olympic years are extremely difficult for the players because between the start of June and the end of July, you have two Grand Slams and the Olympic Games. Three major tournaments that are mentally and physically exhausting in two months of time.”

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The coach admitted that he cannot predict what the top players will do, but suggested that skipping the Olympics could become a realistic option if the physical demands become too great.

“Of course it’s dangerous. I don’t know if Alcaraz and Sinner will decide to play the Olympic Games knowing what we know now. It’s such a hard decision to skip the Olympic Games because you play for your country, and in your country you can receive a lot of bad publicity if you decide to do so.”

Novak Djokovic celebrates on his knees after defeating Alcaraz in the Olympic Games final.

Djokovic has suggested several times that his last tournament as a professional could be in Los Angeles in 2028.

A schedule dilemma that could define LA 2028

The concern is not only the three-day gap between Wimbledon and the Olympic tournament. Players would also have to travel across multiple time zones and immediately adapt from grass to hard courts before another crucial North American swing leading into the US Open.

Mouratoglou believes that, in some cases, protecting a career may ultimately take priority over Olympic participation. “But at some point, if it’s between your health and preventing injuries, Alcaraz or Sinner could decide, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t.’”

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His comments come as the tennis calendar continues to face scrutiny from players and coaches over scheduling demands, particularly with Masters 1000 events increasingly occupying two-week windows.

Despite acknowledging the unique prestige of Olympic gold, Mouratoglou argued that tennis operates differently from many other sports, where the Games represent the ultimate career achievement. “Having a gold medal is above anything else, but not in tennis.”

The 2028 Olympic tennis tournament will be played at the Carson tennis complex in Los Angeles, with the competition expanded to ten days while maintaining 64-player singles draws and 32-team doubles events.

Olympic Games Tennis Singles Champions (1988–2024)

Year	Host City	Surface	Men’s Singles Champion	Women’s Singles Champion
1988	Seoul	Hard	Miloslav Mečíř	Steffi Graf
1992	Barcelona	Clay	Marc Rosset	Jennifer Capriati
1996	Atlanta	Hard	Andre Agassi	Lindsay Davenport
2000	Sydney	Hard	Yevgeny Kafelnikov	Venus Williams
2004	Athens	Hard	Nicolás Massú	Justine Henin
2008	Beijing	Hard	Rafael Nadal	Elena Dementieva
2012	London	Grass	Andy Murray	Serena Williams
2016	Rio de Janeiro	Hard	Andy Murray	Monica Puig
2020	Tokyo	Hard	Alexander Zverev	Belinda Bencic
2024	Paris	Clay	Novak Djokovic	Zheng Qinwen

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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