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When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season early in October, the former world number eight explained how she had "reached her limit."

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

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had previously declared she was not in "the psychological condition" to carry on, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also think the calendar is too long.

This issue is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players gather again in Australia for the start of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nonetheless, several weeks is not seen as adequate time for thorough recovery before work commences for an season lasting nearly a year considered among the most onerous in professional sport.

"The physical requirements of tennis are more intense than in the past," said 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.

"We owe it to our players to protect them and give them a more sustainable sport."

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

Condensing the Tour Schedule

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

The WTA Tour season finished two weeks earlier when the tour finals finished in early November. The ITF moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to alleviate scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "casually," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That did not placate the PTPA, which commenced proceedings 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 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 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 short hiatus," noted Dr. Sikka.

Former world number one Andy Roddick, a long-time advocate for change, says the season should not go past 1 November.

The ATP Tour has reduced the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it believes will diminish "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players choose their own schedules," remarked ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"That freedom is rare in professional sport. But with that comes accountability - knowing when to push and when to recover."

Prolonging several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - has also been faulted.

"I think players are more mentally tired and more fatigued 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 apprehensions about the rising physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in specific periods, according to PTPA research.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the tour schedule layout 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 seemed set to trigger adjustments.

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

But there have continued to be instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"Once the final point is played, a player's duties continue," added 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 identified as a source of a rise in upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," stated one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an chronic wrist problem, argues tournaments in the same seasonal segment should use one uniform 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 centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and expect "complete uniformity" 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 direct the wellbeing of its stars.

Based on data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and advanced helmet technology to lessen 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.

"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 allocating major funds – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting pitchers, limiting their exertion 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 iterations 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 growing group of players are speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a coalition of top players 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.

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

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

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