Sam Querrey reacts to Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur’s public complaints and suggests how the ATP will respond

**Sam Querrey on Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur’s ATP Complaints: A Push for Rule Tweaks**

Former world No. 11 Sam Querrey responded to Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur’s public criticisms of the ATP’s demanding schedule and bonus pool rules following their early exits at the 2025 French Open, predicting the ATP may “tweak” its policies to address player burnout and injury concerns, per TheTennisGazette.com. Their complaints highlight systemic issues in tennis, resonating with the resilience of athletes like Aryna Sabalenka, who called out toxic coaching, and Naomi Osaka’s mental health struggles.

**Ruud and de Minaur’s Complaints**
Casper Ruud, a two-time Roland Garros finalist, suffered a shock second-round loss to Nuno Borges (6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 0-6) on May 28, 2025, hampered by an undisclosed injury, per TheTennisGazette.com. In his press conference, Ruud criticized the ATP’s structure, saying players are “forced to show up injured or sick” to avoid financial penalties and ranking point losses, per Express.co.uk. Alex de Minaur, after a five-set defeat to Alexander Bublik (6-2, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 2-6), echoed Ruud, calling the schedule “ridiculous” and citing burnout from playing four years with minimal breaks, including just two days off after Davis Cup, per Express.co.uk. Both players highlighted the ATP’s bonus pool, which ties financial rewards to mandatory Masters 1000 participation, as a key issue.

**Querrey’s Analysis and ATP Prediction**
On the *Nothing Major* podcast, Querrey, alongside Jack Sock, explained the ATP’s bonus pool, which incentivizes players ranked 1-30 to compete in Masters 1000 events, per TheTennisGazette.com. “For every Masters series you don’t play, they reduce your bonus by 25%. So, pull out of Rome, you’re reduced by 25%; Cincinnati, then 50%,” Querrey said. Full participation in eight events unlocks 100% of the bonus (five events: 25%, six: 50%, seven: 75%), per ATPTour.com. He acknowledged the dilemma: “What’s more important, taking care of your body, or getting the full bonus pool?” Querrey predicted the ATP would respond to Ruud and de Minaur’s complaints, stating, “I think the ATP can tweak that rule, and if you are actually injured, maybe it doesn’t affect your bonus at the end of the year,” suggesting a reduced penalty for verified injuries, per TheTennisGazette.com. Sock proposed reverting to one-week Masters 1000 events to ease scheduling, per TheTennisGazette.com.

**Context of the Issue**
Ruud’s consistency—competing in 34 straight Masters 1000s since 2021, winning Madrid 2025 over Jack Draper (6-4, 7-5)—shows the toll of the ATP’s demands, per TheTennisGazette.com. De Minaur, with a 15-4 start to 2024 and back-to-back Acapulco titles over Ruud (6-4, 6-4), voiced similar burnout concerns, per ATPTour.com. Their sentiments align with Jordan Thompson’s critique of the ATP’s “s***” schedule, per Express.co.uk. The ATP’s expansion of two-week Masters events has extended the season, exacerbating fatigue, per Express.co.uk. Posts on X, like @DExpress_Sport, noted fan support for their push for change, per.

**Parallels to Resilience**
Querrey’s call for ATP reform mirrors Sabalenka’s demand for toxic coaches to quit after her French Open win, both advocating systemic change, per ESPN.com. Osaka’s anxiety-driven training despite blisters and Littler’s push for Premier League Darts format tweaks reflect similar resilience in addressing structural issues, per TMZ.com, SkySports.com. Carlos Alcaraz’s response to Wilander’s inconsistency warning, Holger Rune’s fan clash, and Coco Gauff’s humor further highlight athletes overcoming challenges, per Tennis365.com, Express.co.uk, Sportskeeda.com.

**Conclusion**
Sam Querrey predicted the ATP would “tweak” its bonus pool rules in response to Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur’s complaints about playing injured and burnout after their 2025 French Open exits, per TheTennisGazette.com. The bonus pool’s 25% reduction per missed Masters event pressures players, per ATPTour.com. Like Sabalenka’s coaching critique, Osaka’s grit, Littler’s reforms, and Alcaraz’s resolve, their advocacy pushes for change. Ruud targets the Mallorca Open (June 23), while de Minaur prepares for Wimbledon, live on ESPN.