🔗 Share this article

When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the former world number eight described how she had "encountered a barrier."

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

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had earlier revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to carry on, while current Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also think the calendar is too long.

The topic continues to be debated as the world's foremost tennis players assemble once more in Australia for the start of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. Nevertheless, a handful of weeks is not considered enough time for adequate recovery before training starts for an eleven-month schedule regarded as among the most onerous in professional sport.

"The physical requirements of tennis are more intense than in the past," commented Dr. Robby Sikka, head of medicine at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"Matches and rallies are longer, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

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

So what actions are being taken and what additional measures could be implemented?

Shortening the Season

The 2025 season covered 47 weeks for many male competitors, starting with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and ending with the Davis Cup final in late November.

The WTA Tour season ended two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals finished in early November. The governing body 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 "without seriousness," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That did not placate the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, pointing to "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare."

Restructuring the calendar is an apparent fix but cannot be implemented readily given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have major stakes.

"We need to think about whether we can reclaim time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we buy time during the season so there is a mini-break," noted 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 reduced the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will lessen "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players determine their own playing calendar," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes responsibility - understanding when to compete and when to rest."

Extending several compulsory competitions across a fortnight - creating so-called 'mini Slams' - has also been questioned.

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

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

Players suffer more severe upper-body injuries in certain months, according to available data.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the structure of the calendar and the switches in court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open ended in the early hours in 2023, it promised to spark change.

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

But there have persisted instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"After a match concludes, an athlete's day isn't over," added Dr. Sikka.

"You have to do media, recover, work with the physiotherapist. Your day doesn't end at midnight.

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in weight and pace - has been pointed to as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"I've had a lot of injuries in my arm, my shoulder, my wrist," commented one top British player, "and I'm seeing more and more of these injuries across the tours."

A former US Open champion, who ended his career last year with an persistent wrist issue, argues tournaments in the same swing should use one type of ball.

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

The tours adopted a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and expect "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Athletic performance experts believe tennis must take cues from how American team sports use data to guide the wellbeing of its stars.

Based on data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and advanced helmet technology to lessen the risk of injury.

"The league has altered its regulations using concrete research," said an analytics expert whose firm provides data to monitor player welfare.

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're maintaining a healthy roster.

"They are investing heavily in their stated goals by protecting athletes and investing hugely – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their workload 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 key element in their injuries later on.

"We pick up a racket as kids and have so many iterations of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"Eventually, the wrist bears the brunt. Way more players have problems with the wrist. I think the problem is the many, many repetitions."

Athletes Are Pushing for Reform - What Are Their Demands?

An increasing number of players are speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a coalition of top players ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as meaningful consultation about the tour schedule duration, longer competitions and fixture planning.

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

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players also participate in lucrative exhibition events.

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

"{Uniform