Cameron Norrie has hit back at players who have criticised the ATP schedule stating that you ‘can pick your schedule.’
The Brit had a rejuvenated season last year as he climbed back up into the Grand Slam seeding positions, reaching the Geneva semi-finals as well as the Wimbledon quarter-finals.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Norrie reflected on his season and how he changed his form around in 2025, “At the beginning of this year, I was really trying to push. I thought I was ready to get back into the top 50 or top 30 or whatever,” Norrie was quoted by tennisuptpodate.com as saying.
“And I was putting so much expectation on everything, rather than just going out and making it happen. I knew I had the ability to do that, and I had to take a step back. It was not really happening for me. I just wanted to try and enjoy my tennis a little bit more.
“Suddenly I was playing really well, enjoying the clay and made the fourth round of the French Open and then had a good Wimbledon. It started with that momentum. And I think that was one thing that, at the beginning of the year, I was never able to get. It was like: okay, get momentum—I was sick.
“Get momentum—I’m tired. Or someone else was playing good. So there’s a lot of different factors that go into it.”
The British number two will now be hoping to continue that momentum in 2026 as he bids for more success next season.
However, Norrie’s 2025 season really got going in Geneva and it was having some rest that proved critical for the Brit.
Speaking out on critics of the ATP schedule Norrie insisted that players can pick their own schedule, “The schedule is long, yes, but it’s up to you to rest,” Norrie suggested.
“I think it’s up to you to learn, and I think there always is a pressure when the tournaments are there to play them, because you see other guys getting the points. So there’s a pressure from guys passing you, but at the end of the day, I want to enjoy my tennis, and I did that this year, so I was happy.
“In terms of the schedule, we’re not kidding ourselves. It’s a long schedule, but on the flip side of that, there’s a lot of opportunity to play these tournaments and to earn money and to earn a living. It’s a long schedule, but it’s alright for me.
“And I think, you’re not forced to play these (lower-graded) 250s; you have some requirements to play the 500s and the 1000s. 1000s are almost all mandatory, (but) you can pick your schedule. In the past, I was typically always wanting to play. I would just test the limits of my burnout, really.
“And I think you need to learn, and you need to know where you like to play, what tournaments you like to play, and you need to always adapt your schedule.”
