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When Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the ex-top ten player described how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The calendar is overwhelming. Mentally and emotionally I'm at breaking point, and, unfortunately, I'm not alone," she expressed.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had previously announced she was not in "the right headspace" to continue, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally think the calendar is excessively lengthy.

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

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nevertheless, a handful of weeks is not considered sufficient time for thorough recuperation before work commences for an 11-month campaign regarded as among the most onerous in professional sport.

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

"Matches and rallies are longer, 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 is being done and what additional measures could be enacted?

Shortening the Season

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 women's circuit ended 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 alleviate scheduling concerns.

ATP officials claim 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, referencing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Revamping 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 significant influence.

"It is crucial to evaluate 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," 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 reduced the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it believes will diminish "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players select their own tournament plans," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

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

Stretching several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'mini Slams' - has also been faulted.

"I believe competitors are more worn out mentally and physically because they're spending more days away," opined Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

In addition to mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the growing physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to player association statistics.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the tour schedule layout and the turnarounds between court surfaces.

Fewer Late Nights & More Ball Consistency

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

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

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

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

"You have to do media, recover, work with the physiotherapist. Your day doesn't end at midnight.

"The physical and neurological systems lack adequate time to recuperate. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

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

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," commented one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an ongoing wrist injury, thinks tournaments in the same seasonal segment should use one standard 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 began using a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and anticipate "full alignment" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Medical researchers believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to inform the health of its stars.

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

"Their commercial success has soared 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 devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have enacted regulations aimed at protecting pitchers, limiting their throws at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

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

"Training begins in childhood and have so many repetitions 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."

Competitors Seek Adjustments - What Are the Key Issues?

An increasing number of players are speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a group of stars increasing demands on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as meaningful consultation about the calendar extent, 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 next campaign.

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

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