🔗 Share this article

At the point when Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season early in October, the ex-top ten player detailed how she had "reached her limit."

"The schedule is too much. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she wrote.

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had earlier declared she was not in "the mental space" to carry on, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally think the calendar is overly extended.

This issue is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players assemble once more in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A somewhat extended off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nevertheless, a few weeks is not considered sufficient time for adequate recuperation before work commences for an 11-month campaign regarded as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"The physical requirements of tennis are more intense than in the past," stated 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 manageable sport."

So what is being done and what further steps could be implemented?

Reducing the Calendar Length

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

The women's circuit finished two weeks earlier when the tour finals concluded in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That failed to satisfy the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, citing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Revamping the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be implemented readily given the complex nature of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have major stakes.

"We need to think about whether we can create more 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 reduced the number of events which count towards the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will diminish "the total burden" on the players.

"A factor frequently ignored: players select their own tournament plans," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes accountability - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

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

"I believe competitors are more worn out mentally and physically because they're spending more days away," opined Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

In addition to mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the rising physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in certain months, according to available data.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the tour schedule layout and the switches in court surfaces.

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

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

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

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

"Once the final point is played, a player's duties continue," explained Dr. Sikka.

"You have to do media, recover, work with the physiotherapist. Your day extends well beyond the match.

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been identified as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," said one top British player, "and I'm seeing more and more of these injuries across the tours."

A former US Open champion, who stepped away last year with an ongoing wrist injury, argues tournaments in the same circuit should use one type of ball.

"Implementing this would not be overly complex - 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 "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

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

Using data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to minimize 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 allocating major funds – that model is the exemplar."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their workload at the professional level and putting age restrictions.

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

"We pick up a racket as kids and have so many countless swings 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 rising contingent of players are speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a collection of elite athletes ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as genuine dialogue about the length of the season, elongated tournaments and fixture planning.

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

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

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

"{Uniform