Australian Open figures have been left stunned by suggestions that the tournament could be pushed back to February, Express Sport has learned. Speculation over a new date for the first Grand Slam of the year intensified after former pro Patrick McEnroe claimed that it could be moved to create a longer winter break.

McEnroe suggested that talks over a new date had happened and that there was a ‘plan’ for the Australian Open to be shifted. Players, particularly those at the top of the game, have complained about the broadening calendar and the large volume of tournaments they need to play. Last September, Carlos Alcaraz suggested that tennis bosses risked ‘killing’ stars by adding more tournaments to their already packed schedules.

In a conversation about the calendar during TNT Sports’ US coverage of the French Open on Saturday, seven-time Grand Slam champion John McEnroe suggested that the Australian Open should move. His brother, Patrick, a commentator and former player, responded: “I’m hearing rumblings that it could move to February.”

But Express Sport has learned that there is no truth to these rumours after speaking with Tennis Australia sources. There was confusion over where the speculation might have started, followed by categorical denial.

Next year’s Australian Open begins on January 12 and ends on February 1.

Patrick McEnroe went on to suggest that moving the Australian Open would open a window for a new tournament, potentially played in the Middle East. He said: “Of course, there’d probably be another big tournament put in in early January, that’s part of potentially the plan. Middle East, hello?”

“It’s pretty typical of all sports like in the NBA you see players taking nights off under contract. In tennis the difference is you don’t play you don’t get paid. No guaranteed contracts. Top players have big endorsement deals but even those normally have stipulations that the players have to play certain events or be ranked at a certain spot to collect the money.”

Alcaraz is the most high-profile player to complain about the schedule. There was a 49-day break between the final of the ATP Tour Finals and the first round of the Australian Open. Prize money is the main source of income for many professional players, meaning they are compelled to enter as many tournaments as possible and risk injuries and burnout.

Last September, Alcaraz said: “I'm the kind of player who think there is a lot of tournaments during the year. Mandatory tournaments, and probably during the next few years, [there are] going to be even more tournaments, more mandatory tournaments. So, I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way.”

A few months later, ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi confessed sympathy with players who feel they do not get enough of a break during the winter. He said: “We have expanded the Masters 1000, and in the 96-draw Masters, there is theoretically one more match only if you reach the final. I agree with the players when they say that the off-season is too short and the Davis Cup also has an impact on this.

“With the new format, many players play in November, once only those from the teams that reached the final, the others went on vacation. Now you don't have enough time to rest, rebuild your body and start playing tennis again.”