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When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season prematurely in October, the former world number eight detailed how she had "encountered a barrier."

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

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had previously declared she was not in "the mental space" to continue, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally believe the calendar is overly extended.

The topic is still being argued as the world's leading tennis players gather again in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A somewhat extended off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. Nonetheless, several weeks is not regarded as adequate time for adequate recovery before training starts for an season lasting nearly a year seen as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," commented Dr. Robby Sikka, chief medical officer 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 sustainable sport."

So what is being done and what further steps could be implemented?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

The 2025 season covered 47 weeks for many players on the ATP circuit, beginning with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and ending 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 ITF 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 commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, pointing to "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Restructuring the calendar is an apparent fix but cannot be achieved easily given the complex nature of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have major stakes.

"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 create space during the season so there is a brief respite," 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 decreased the number of events which count towards the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will lessen "overall demands" on the players.

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

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

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

"I believe competitors are more worn out mentally and physically 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 concerns about the growing physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in certain months, according to player association statistics.

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

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a high-profile game at the Australian Open finished in the middle of the night in 2023, it promised to spark change.

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

But there have persisted instances of matches concluding long after midnight - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"After a match concludes, an athlete's day isn't over," added 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. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in feel and performance - has been pointed to as a source of a rise in upper body injuries.

"I've had a lot of injuries in my arm, my shoulder, my wrist," stated one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an persistent wrist issue, argues tournaments in the same circuit should use one standard ball.

"It shouldn't be too difficult - 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 adopted a more unified ball-approval process during 2025 and project "full alignment" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Medical researchers believe tennis must take cues from how American team sports use data to guide the health of its stars.

Using data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and enhanced 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.

"We've seen the economic model is skyrocketing because their games are so competitive and they're ensuring star athletes are available.

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

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting specific positions, 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 significant factor in their injuries later on.

"Training begins in childhood 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 growing group of players are becoming vocal 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 larger share of revenue, as well as genuine dialogue about the tour schedule duration, extended events and match timing.

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

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative exhibition events.

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

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