'We Must Protect Players' - How Should Professional Tennis Steer Clear of Hitting a Crisis Point?

When Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the former world number eight described how she had "hit a wall."

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

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had already revealed she was not in "the right headspace" to continue, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore think the calendar is overly extended.

This issue remains under discussion as the world's foremost tennis players gather again 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 seen as enough time for proper rest before training starts for an 11-month campaign seen as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," commented Dr. Robby Sikka, chief medical officer at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"Matches and rallies are longer, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

"We owe it to our players to protect them and give them a more sustainable sport."

So what measures are in place and what next actions could be taken?

Reducing the Calendar Length

The 2025 season spanned 47 weeks for many men on tour, commencing with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and concluding with the Davis Cup final in late November.

The women's season ended 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 alleviate scheduling concerns.

ATP officials claim it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "perpetually be the highest focus."

That did not appease the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, citing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Overhauling the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be accomplished simply 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 buy back time at the end of the year for an longer break, or can we create space during the season so there is a short hiatus," noted 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 cut the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it thinks will lessen "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players choose their own schedules," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"That freedom is rare in professional sport. 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.

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

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

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to available data.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the seasonal itinerary 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 was expected to drive reform.

In 2024, the tours introduced a new rule preventing matches beginning past 11pm.

But there have persisted instances of matches finishing well past midnight - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

"After a match concludes, an athlete's day isn't over," explained Dr. Sikka.

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

"The physical and neurological systems lack adequate time to recuperate. No other major sport imposes such conditions."

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

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," stated one top British player, "and I observe these types of injuries becoming more common."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an ongoing wrist injury, thinks tournaments in the same circuit should use one type of 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 standardized equipment policy during 2025 and project "total consistency" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

Sports scientists believe tennis must take cues from how American team sports use data to guide the health of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL demanded 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.

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're maintaining a healthy roster.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and allocating major funds – that model is the exemplar."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their exertion 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 major contributor 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.

"Over time, the wrist suffers the consequences. 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 rising contingent 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 larger share of revenue, as well as meaningful consultation about the tour schedule duration, longer competitions and fixture planning.

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

Public understanding may be limited, though, given top players also participate in lucrative exhibition events.

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

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