🔗 Share this article

When Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season early in October, the ex-top ten player explained 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.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had previously revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to persist, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally are convinced the calendar is overly extended.

This issue remains under discussion as the world's top tennis players assemble once more in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. However, a handful of weeks is not seen as adequate time for adequate rest before training starts for an 11-month campaign seen as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," stated Dr. Robby Sikka, chief medical officer at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"Points and games are more extended, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

"It is our obligation to shield the competitors and give them a more viable sport."

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

Shortening the Season

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

The WTA Tour season concluded two weeks earlier when the season-ending championships concluded in early November. The governing body 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 "casually," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "perpetually be the highest focus."

That did not appease the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Revamping the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be implemented readily given the complex nature of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have controlling interests.

"We need to think about whether we can buy back time at the end of the year for an extended off season, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a short hiatus," said Dr. Sikka.

Former world number one Andy Roddick, a vocal proponent of reform, says the season should not go past 1 November.

The ATP Tour has cut the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will diminish "overall demands" on the players.

"A factor frequently ignored: players choose their own schedules," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes obligation - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

Extending several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'super weeks' - has also been questioned.

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

In addition to mental burnout, there are worries about the growing physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in certain months, according to player association statistics.

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

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a high-profile game at the Australian Open concluded in the wee 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 concluding long after midnight - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"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.

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. There is no other sport which mandates that."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in feel and performance - has been cited 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 stepped away last year with an persistent wrist issue, thinks tournaments in the same seasonal segment 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 project "full alignment" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Athletic performance experts believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to guide the welfare of its stars.

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

"The NFL has made many rule changes based on empirical evidence," said an analytics expert whose firm provides data to monitor player welfare.

"The financial returns have increased dramatically because their games are so competitive and they're ensuring star athletes are available.

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

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

Some retired players believe the strain put on the upper body of tennis players from a tender 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.

"At some point it goes on the wrist. Way more players have problems with the wrist. I think the problem is the many, many repetitions."

Competitors Seek Adjustments - What Are the Key Issues?

An rising contingent of players are becoming vocal about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a group of stars ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a larger share of revenue, as well as meaningful consultation about the tour schedule duration, extended events and match timing.

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

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative non-tour contests.

One Grand Slam champion from Britain says the daily routine is a "challenge" but thinks top players "criticizing the calendar" is not a good look.

"{Uniform