🔗 Share this article

After Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season prematurely in October, the ex-top ten player described how she had "reached her limit."

"The schedule is too much. Mentally and emotionally I'm at breaking point, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she stated.

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had earlier announced she was not in "the mental space" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore are convinced the calendar is excessively lengthy.

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

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nevertheless, a few weeks is not considered sufficient time for proper rest before preparations begin for an season lasting nearly a year seen as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," stated Dr. Robby Sikka, medical director at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

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

"We have a duty to safeguard our athletes and give them a more viable sport."

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

Reducing the Calendar Length

The 2025 season lasted 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 tour finals wrapped up in early November. The governing body moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address scheduling concerns.

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

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

Restructuring the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be implemented readily given the complicated structure of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"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 allow for a pause 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 cut the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it thinks will reduce "overall demands" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players choose their own schedules," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

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

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

"I think players are more mentally tired and more fatigued because they're away from home for extended periods," said Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

As well as mental burnout, there are concerns about the rising physical demands.

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

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the structure of the calendar and the transitions between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open finished in the early hours in 2023, it seemed set to trigger adjustments.

In 2024, the tours brought in a new rule prohibiting matches commencing later than 11pm.

But there have still been instances of matches concluding long after midnight - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

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

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

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. No other major sport imposes such conditions."

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," said one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who stepped away last year with an ongoing wrist injury, thinks tournaments in the same circuit 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 incredibly useful to the players," he said.

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

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Sports scientists believe tennis must take cues from how American team sports use data to inform the health of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and advanced helmet technology to reduce 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.

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're keeping players out on the field.

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

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their throws 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 very early stage is a significant factor in their injuries later on.

"We start playing from such an early age and have so many countless swings 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."

Athletes Are Pushing for Reform - What Are Their Demands?

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

Current world number ones are among a group of stars applying force on the Grand Slams with calls for a larger share of revenue, as well as substantive discussions about the tour schedule duration, extended events 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 upcoming tour.

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players also participate in lucrative exhibition events.

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

"{Uniform