"We’re not in the NBA and you are independent contractors”: Tommy Paul’s coach rips players over schedule criticism

Player frustration with the current ATP calendar has been a recurring theme in recent seasons, and coach Brad Stine—mentor of Tommy Paul and one of the most respected voices on the circuit—did not hesitate to delve into the topic. For him, much of the recent narrative, especially coming from American and Canadian players, ignores a fundamental reality of professional tennis: players are independent contractors who choose when to compete. His criticism is directed both at the attitude of some figures and at the calendar design itself.

Stine applauds the firm stance of Félix Auger-Aliassime, who recently questioned the idea that there is so much to complain about. The Canadian, according to the coach, "hit the bullseye" by recalling that tennis players have a privileged life and a wide margin to manage their schedules.

The Canadian world No. 5 asserted a few weeks ago during the ATP Finals that he does not share the criticism regarding the large number of mandatory tournaments on the ATP calendar: “I don't know how guys don't enjoy it, to be honest. I think they lost perspective completely,” he said during press conference in Turin. “I mean, we're just lucky and blessed. In my humble opinion, every day I wake up and I enjoy. I enjoy that I'm here. Even if I lose matches, it's okay, I'm pissed for a day. I don't know. If you want to play less tournaments, stay home. Nobody's forcing you to be here.”

Stine agrees and believes that many forget that the tennis player is independent and can make their own decisions regarding the tournaments they attend. “I think people on the ATP tour players forget that this is not a team sport. We’re not in a league like the NBA and you are independent contractors. And it’s a free market… No one’s holding a gun to their head and saying they absolutely have to play. You can take any week off that you want to take off. Are there ramifications? Of course. And there should be.”

That logic, according to Stine, should also guide the debate on the calendar’s length and density. The circuit is long and demanding, yes, but he insists that the structure allows for breaks, rotation, and strategic pauses. “We hear mostly the top players complaining about the schedule because they feel like it is extremely long year,” the coach commented.

“At the end of the day they're making enough money, that even if they're skipping one Masters 1000 or two, yeah, they might lose some percentage of the year end prize money, or they're going to miss that tournament's prize money. But it's OK. Like you say, it's a job. The guys who are on the Challenger Tour or at the bottom of the ATP, they're working every week and because they have to.”

One of the most contentious points for Stine is the expansion of the Masters 1000 format, which since 2023 adopted a duration similar to the Grand Slams. Unlike tournament directors or the ATP—who see more days as more revenue—the coach assures that the model not only diminishes excitement but also disrupts the competitive rhythm. “The tournaments are too long, in my opinion, now with too many days off… it goes on for such a period of time now that you almost lose interest, at least through the middle section of it.”

His main criticism is that tennis is a sport built on traditions, not on constant commercial adjustments. The current weeks, with unnecessary days off—in events where they play best-of-three sets—generate exhaustion, disconnection, and a sense of stagnation. “I'm a big believer in the fact that our sport has been built around tradition and the most successful tournaments that we have in our sport are the ones with the greatest tradition, the greatest history... And you build tradition by maintaining things, not by changing everything.”

Another point that directly affects the player is the accumulated duration of tours, such as the European clay swing. “Madrid and Rome is now the you you play two tournaments in a month because because of the way they're structured,” he added. “It just gets drawn out… and that mental drain tends to lead to some sense of physical fatigue in a way. Which potentially leads to more injuries.”