🔗 Share this article

When Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season early in October, the former world number eight explained how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The calendar is overwhelming. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she expressed.

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had previously revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to persist, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally are convinced the calendar is too long.

The topic remains under discussion as the world's top tennis players gather again in Australia for the start of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. However, a few weeks is not considered enough time for proper rest before training starts for an eleven-month schedule regarded as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," said Dr. Robby Sikka, medical director 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 manageable sport."

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

Reducing the Calendar Length

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

The women's circuit concluded 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 "lightly," while the women's tour asserts player welfare will "always remain a top priority."

That did not appease the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare."

Restructuring the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be accomplished simply given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"We must consider whether we can create more 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 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 cut the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it thinks will diminish "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players determine their own playing calendar," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes accountability - knowing when to push and when to recover."

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

"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 concerns about the increased physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in certain months, according to PTPA research.

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 finished in the wee hours in 2023, it was expected to drive reform.

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

But there have continued to be instances of matches finishing well past midnight - 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 doesn't end at midnight.

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. No other major sport imposes such conditions."

The use of varying balls at different events - leading to changes in feel and performance - has been cited as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," said one top British player, "and I observe these types of injuries becoming more common."

A former US Open champion, who ended his career last year with an persistent wrist issue, thinks 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 adopted a more unified ball-approval process during 2025 and expect "full alignment" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

Medical researchers 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 lessen 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 ensuring star athletes are available.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and allocating major funds – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their throws at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

Some retired players believe the strain put on the upper body of tennis players from a tender age is a major contributor in their injuries later on.

"We pick up a racket as kids and have so many repetitions 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."

Competitors Seek Adjustments - What Are the Key Issues?

An increasing number of players are finding their voice 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 larger share of revenue, as well as substantive discussions about the length of the season, elongated tournaments and scheduling.

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

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative exhibition events.

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

"{Uniform