🔗 Share this article

After Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the ex-top ten player explained how she had "hit a wall."

"The itinerary is excessive. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she stated.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had already declared she was not in "the mental space" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also believe the calendar is too long.

This subject is still being argued 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. Nonetheless, several weeks is not considered sufficient time for adequate rest before preparations begin for an eleven-month schedule considered among the most grueling in professional sport.

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

"Points and games are more extended, 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 next actions could be taken?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

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

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

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

That did not placate the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Overhauling the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be accomplished simply 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 longer break, or can we create space during the season so there is a short hiatus," added 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 reduced the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it believes will lessen "the cumulative strain" on the players.

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

"That freedom is rare in professional sport. But with that comes accountability - 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 faulted.

"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.

As well as mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the increased physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to PTPA research.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the seasonal itinerary and the switches in court surfaces.

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a notable match at the Australian Open concluded in the early hours in 2023, it was expected to drive reform.

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

But there have still been instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

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

"There are press obligations, recovery sessions, and physio appointments. Your day doesn't end at midnight.

"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 weight and pace - has been pointed to as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"I've had a lot of injuries in my arm, my shoulder, my wrist," stated one top British player, "and I observe these types of injuries becoming more common."

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

"This should be a straightforward solution - 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 began using a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and project "full alignment" 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 inform the health of its stars.

Using data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to reduce 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.

"We've seen the economic model is skyrocketing 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 devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

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 key element in their injuries later on.

"Training begins in childhood 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."

Competitors Seek Adjustments - What Are the Key Issues?

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 increasing demands on the Grand Slams with calls for a bigger piece of the financial pie, as well as genuine dialogue about the length of the season, elongated tournaments 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 upcoming tour.

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

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

"{Uniform