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When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season prematurely in October, the ex-top ten player explained how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The itinerary is excessive. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she stated.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had already declared she was not in "the mental space" to persist, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore are convinced the calendar is overly extended.

The topic remains under discussion as the world's foremost tennis players reconvene in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nonetheless, a handful of weeks is not considered adequate time for thorough rest before training starts for an 11-month campaign regarded as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," stated Dr. Robby Sikka, head of medicine at the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA).

"The duration of play has increased, 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 measures are in place and what additional measures could be implemented?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

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 WTA Tour season concluded two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals wrapped up in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to help combat scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while the women's tour asserts player welfare will "perpetually be the highest focus."

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 achieved easily given the intricate web of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have controlling interests.

"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 create space during the season so there is a brief respite," said 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 decreased the number of events which count towards the rankings for 2026, which it is confident will reduce "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"A factor frequently ignored: players determine their own playing calendar," stated ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"That freedom is rare in professional sport. But with that comes responsibility - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

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

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

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

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

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the seasonal itinerary and the switches in court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open ended in the wee hours 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 continued to be instances of matches concluding long after midnight - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

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

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

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. No other major sport imposes such conditions."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been identified as a source of a rise in upper body injuries.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," 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 persistent wrist issue, thinks tournaments in the same circuit should use one standard 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 moved towards a more centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and anticipate "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Medical researchers believe tennis must learn from how American team sports use data to inform the health of its stars.

Based on data-led analysis, the NFL mandated consistent playing surfaces and enhanced helmet technology to reduce 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.

"Their financial commitment matches their rhetoric by protecting athletes and investing hugely – that model is the benchmark."

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

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.

"We pick up a racket as kids and have so many countless swings 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 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 increased portion of tournament income, as well as substantive discussions about the length of the season, elongated tournaments and scheduling.

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

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players occasionally sign up for lucrative showcase matches.

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

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