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When Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the ex-top ten player explained how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The schedule is too much. Mentally and emotionally I'm at breaking point, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she expressed.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had already revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to continue, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also believe the calendar is too long.

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

A somewhat extended off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nevertheless, several weeks is not regarded as sufficient time for thorough recovery before work commences for an eleven-month schedule seen as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The demands of tennis are harder than ever before," said 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 further steps could be taken?

Reducing the Calendar Length

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

The women's season finished two weeks earlier when the tour finals concluded in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address scheduling concerns.

ATP officials claim 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 appease the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Overhauling 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 significant influence.

"We must consider whether we can buy back time at the end of the year for an extended off season, or can we buy time 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 is confident will lessen "the total burden" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players select their own tournament plans," 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."

Stretching 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 being on the road longer," stated Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

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

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

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

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a memorable contest at the Australian Open concluded in the wee hours in 2023, it seemed set to trigger adjustments.

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

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

"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 doesn't finish until much later.

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

The use of varying balls at different events - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been pointed to 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'm seeing more and more of these injuries across the tours."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an persistent wrist issue, thinks tournaments in the same seasonal segment should use one uniform ball.

"This should be a straightforward solution - the same ball for clay, the same for hard and the same for grass. That would be incredibly useful to the players," he said.

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

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

Athletic performance experts believe tennis must learn from how American team sports use data to guide the wellbeing of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL demanded 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.

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're ensuring star athletes are available.

"They're putting their money where their mouth is by protecting athletes and devoting significant resources – that model is the benchmark."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their exertion at the professional level and putting guidelines for juniors.

Some retired players believe the stress put on the upper body of tennis players from a very early stage is a key element in their injuries later on.

"We start playing from such an early age and have so many repetitions of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"At some point it goes on the wrist. 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 becoming vocal about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a collection of elite athletes ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as genuine dialogue about the length of the season, elongated tournaments 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 next campaign.

Support is not always forthcoming, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative exhibition events.

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

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