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When Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season early in October, the one-time elite competitor detailed how she had "hit a wall."

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

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had already announced she was not in "the mental space" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore think the calendar is too long.

This subject is still being argued as the world's leading tennis players gather again in Australia for the start of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nevertheless, a few weeks is not regarded as adequate time for thorough recuperation before work commences 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," commented Dr. Robby Sikka, chief medical officer at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"Points and games are more extended, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

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

So what measures are in place and what additional measures could be enacted?

Shortening the Season

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 ending with the Davis Cup final in late November.

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

The ATP Tour says it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while WTA leadership notes 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 "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare."

Revamping the calendar is an apparent fix but cannot be implemented readily given the complicated structure 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 extended off season, or can we buy time 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 cut the number of events which count towards the rankings for 2026, which it thinks will reduce "overall demands" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players determine their own playing calendar," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

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

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

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

In addition to mental burnout, there are concerns about the increased physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in certain months, according to player association statistics.

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

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a high-profile game at the Australian Open ended in the middle of the night in 2023, it was expected to drive reform.

In 2024, the tours introduced a new rule prohibiting matches commencing later than 11pm.

But there have still been instances of matches finishing well past midnight - which medical experts insist.

"After a match concludes, an athlete's day isn't over," said 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. No other major sport imposes such conditions."

The use of varying balls at different events - 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 stepped away last year with an chronic wrist problem, argues tournaments in the same circuit 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 extremely beneficial to the players," he said.

The tours moved towards a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and expect "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 guide the health of its stars.

Using data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and enhanced helmet technology to minimize 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.

"We've seen the economic model is skyrocketing because their games are so competitive and they're maintaining a healthy roster.

"They are investing heavily in their stated goals by protecting athletes and devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their throws at the professional level and putting age restrictions.

Some retired players believe the load 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 iterations 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 speaking out about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a group of stars applying force 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 "unreasonable" he was only able to take one week off before the new season.

Public understanding may be limited, though, given top players also participate in lucrative showcase matches.

One Grand Slam champion from Britain says the daily routine is a "challenge" but thinks top players "complaining about the calendar" is not a good look.

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