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When Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season prematurely in October, the ex-top ten player described how she had "hit a wall."

"The schedule is too much. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, unfortunately, I'm not alone," she stated.

The Ukrainian athlete 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 also think the calendar is too long.

This subject is still being argued as the world's top tennis players reconvene in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nonetheless, a few weeks is not considered enough time for thorough recuperation before training starts for an 11-month campaign seen as among the most grueling in professional sport.

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

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 women's season concluded two weeks earlier when the season-ending championships finished in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to help combat scheduling concerns.

ATP officials claim it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "always remain a top priority."

That did not placate the PTPA, which began legal action against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Restructuring the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be implemented readily given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have major stakes.

"We must consider whether we can create more time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we create space during the season so there is a mini-break," added 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 factor into the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will lessen "the cumulative strain" on the players.

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

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes obligation - knowing when to push and when to recover."

Prolonging several compulsory competitions across a fortnight - creating so-called 'super weeks' - has also been questioned.

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

Alongside mental burnout, there are concerns about the increased physical demands.

Players suffer more severe upper-body injuries in specific periods, according to available data.

The organization says these "predictable clusters" are down to the tour schedule layout and the transitions between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a memorable contest at the Australian Open concluded in the early hours in 2023, it promised to spark change.

In 2024, the tours brought in 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," said Dr. Sikka.

"You have to do media, recover, work with the physiotherapist. Your day extends well beyond the match.

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. There is no other sport which mandates that."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been cited as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," stated one top British player, "and I observe these types of injuries becoming more common."

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

The tours began using a more unified ball-approval process during 2025 and project "total consistency" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

Sports scientists believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to inform the welfare of its stars.

Based on data-led analysis, the NFL mandated consistent playing surfaces and advanced 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.

"The financial returns have increased dramatically 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 devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have enacted regulations aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their workload 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 very early stage is a key element in their injuries later on.

"We pick up a racket as kids and have so many repetitions of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"Eventually, the wrist bears the brunt. Way more players have problems with the wrist. I think the problem is the many, many repetitions."

Players 'Motivated' for Change - What Do They Want?

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

Current world number ones are among a group of stars 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 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.

Public understanding may be limited, 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 "criticizing the calendar" is not a good look.

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