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

"The itinerary is excessive. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she expressed.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had previously declared she was not in "the right headspace" to persist, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz additionally are convinced the calendar is overly extended.

This subject remains under discussion as the world's leading tennis players reconvene in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nonetheless, a handful of weeks is not considered adequate time for proper recuperation before training starts for an eleven-month schedule regarded 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).

"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 sustainable sport."

So what actions are being taken and what further steps could be enacted?

Shortening the Season

The 2025 season spanned 47 weeks for many players on the ATP circuit, commencing with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and finishing with the Davis Cup final in late November.

The women's circuit finished two weeks earlier when the season-ending championships concluded in early November. The International Tennis Federation 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 "casually," while the women's tour asserts player welfare will "perpetually be the highest focus."

That did not appease the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit 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 complex nature of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have controlling interests.

"It is crucial to evaluate whether we can reclaim time at the end of the year for an extended off season, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a mini-break," added 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 cut the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will reduce "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players determine their own playing calendar," commented 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."

Extending several compulsory competitions across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - has also been criticized.

"I think players are more mentally tired and more fatigued because they're spending more days away," stated Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

As well as mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the rising physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in certain months, according to available data.

The organization says these "predictable clusters" are down to the seasonal itinerary and the transitions between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open finished in the wee hours in 2023, it promised to spark change.

In 2024, the tours brought in a new rule preventing matches starting after 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.

"Media interviews, rehabilitation, and treatment are required. Your day extends well beyond the match.

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

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in weight and pace - has been identified as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," commented 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, believes tournaments in the same swing 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 really helpful to the players," he said.

The tours adopted a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and project "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

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

Following data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to minimize the risk of injury.

"The league has altered its regulations using concrete research," 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 investing hugely – that model is the gold standard."

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their workload at the professional level and putting age restrictions.

Some retired players believe the stress put on the upper body of tennis players from a tender age is a significant factor in their injuries later on.

"We start playing from such an early age and have so many iterations 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."

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 ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as substantive discussions about the tour schedule duration, longer competitions and fixture planning.

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

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players occasionally sign up for lucrative showcase matches.

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

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