🔗 Share this article

At the point when Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season prematurely in October, the one-time elite competitor described how she had "hit a wall."

"The schedule is too much. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, unfortunately, I'm not alone," she stated.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had previously announced she was not in "the psychological condition" to persist, while current Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore think the calendar is too long.

This issue continues to be debated as the world's foremost tennis players gather again in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. However, a few weeks is not seen as adequate time for adequate recuperation before training starts for an season lasting nearly a year considered among the most demanding in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," said Dr. Robby Sikka, head of medicine at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"The duration of play has increased, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

"We owe it to our players to protect them and give them a more sustainable sport."

So what measures are in place and what additional measures could be implemented?

Reducing the Calendar Length

The 2025 season covered 47 weeks for many players on the ATP circuit, beginning with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and ending with the Davis Cup final in late November.

The women's season finished two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals finished in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to help combat scheduling concerns.

The ATP Tour says it does not take the concerns of the players "casually," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "always remain a top priority."

That failed to satisfy the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, pointing to "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Restructuring the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be achieved easily given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"It is crucial to evaluate whether we can buy back time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a short hiatus," added Dr. Sikka.

Former world number one Andy Roddick, a consistent campaigner for adjustments, says the season should not go past 1 November.

The ATP Tour has cut the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it thinks will lessen "overall demands" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players select their own tournament plans," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes responsibility - knowing when to push and when to recover."

Stretching several compulsory competitions across a fortnight - creating so-called 'super weeks' - has also been criticized.

"In my view, athletes are more psychologically drained and exhausted because they're being on the road longer," stated Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

Alongside mental burnout, there are worries about the growing physical demands.

Players suffer more severe upper-body injuries in specific periods, according to player association statistics.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the tour schedule layout and the transitions between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open finished in the middle of the night in 2023, it promised to spark change.

In 2024, the tours implemented a new rule prohibiting matches beginning past 11pm.

But there have still been instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts insist.

"When you are done playing you just don't go home," explained Dr. Sikka.

"There are press obligations, recovery sessions, and physio appointments. Your day extends well beyond the match.

"The physical and neurological systems lack adequate time to recuperate. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in weight and pace - has been identified as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," commented one top British player, "and I'm seeing more and more of these injuries across the tours."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an chronic wrist problem, believes tournaments in the same swing should use one standard ball.

"It shouldn't be too difficult - the same ball for clay, the same for hard and the same for grass. That would be extremely beneficial to the players," he said.

The tours began using a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and expect "total consistency" in the coming years.

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

Sports scientists believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to direct the health of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and advanced helmet technology to minimize the risk of injury.

"American football has implemented numerous reforms driven by data," said an analytics expert whose firm provides data to monitor player welfare.

"We've seen the economic model is skyrocketing because their games are so competitive and they're keeping players out on the field.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and investing hugely – that model is the exemplar."

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting pitchers, limiting their exertion at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

Some retired players believe the stress put on the upper body of tennis players from a young age is a significant factor in their injuries later on.

"Training begins in childhood and have so many iterations of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"Over time, the wrist suffers the consequences. Way more players have problems with the wrist. I think the problem is the many, many repetitions."

Players 'Motivated' for Change - What Do They Want?

An increasing number of players are becoming vocal about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a coalition of top players applying force on the Grand Slams with calls for a larger share of revenue, as well as substantive discussions about the length of the season, extended events and scheduling.

Last year, a top-ten American player said it was "absurd" he was only able to take one week off before the upcoming tour.

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players occasionally sign up for lucrative exhibition events.

One Grand Slam champion from Britain says the grind is a "difficulty" but thinks top players "complaining about the calendar" is not a good look.

"{Uniform