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When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the one-time elite competitor described how she had "reached her limit."

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

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had already declared she was not in "the mental space" to persist, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore are convinced the calendar is overly extended.

This issue remains under discussion as the world's top tennis players gather again in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nonetheless, a handful of weeks is not seen as sufficient time for thorough recuperation before training starts for an season lasting nearly a year regarded as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," 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.

"It is our obligation to shield the competitors and give them a more sustainable sport."

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

Reducing the Calendar Length

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

The women's circuit concluded two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals concluded in early November. The governing body moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "casually," while the WTA Tour says 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."

Overhauling the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be implemented readily given the complicated structure of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"It is crucial to evaluate whether we can create more 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 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 thinks will diminish "the total burden" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players select their own tournament plans," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes obligation - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

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

"In my view, athletes are more psychologically drained and exhausted 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 apprehensions about the growing physical demands.

Players suffer more severe upper-body injuries in specific periods, 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 notable match at the Australian Open ended in the middle of the night 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 persisted instances of matches concluding long after midnight - which medical experts insist.

"Once the final point is played, a player's duties continue," explained Dr. Sikka.

"There are press obligations, recovery sessions, and physio appointments. Your day extends well beyond the match.

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. 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 pointed to as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," commented 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 circuit should use one standard ball.

"This should be a straightforward solution - 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 began using a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and project "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

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

Following data-led analysis, the NFL mandated 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.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have enacted regulations aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their throws at the professional level and putting guidelines for juniors.

Some retired players believe the load put on the upper body of tennis players from a young age is a key element in their injuries later on.

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

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

An growing group of players are finding their voice 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 calendar extent, elongated tournaments and scheduling.

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

Public understanding may be limited, though, given top players occasionally sign up for lucrative exhibition events.

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

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