'We Must Protect Players' - How Should The Sport of Tennis Avoid Reaching a Crisis Point?

When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season early in October, the former world number eight detailed how she had "hit a wall."

"The schedule is too much. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she stated.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had already revealed she was not in "the right headspace" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also believe the calendar is too long.

This subject remains under discussion as the world's top tennis players assemble once more in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. Nonetheless, several weeks is not considered adequate time for thorough recuperation before work commences for an 11-month campaign regarded as among the most grueling in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," stated 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 have a duty to safeguard our athletes and give them a more sustainable sport."

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

Shortening the Season

The 2025 season spanned 47 weeks for many male competitors, starting with the United Cup team event in late December 2024 and ending with the Davis Cup final in late November.

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

The ATP Tour says it does not take the concerns of the players "without seriousness," while the WTA Tour says 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, pointing to "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Revamping the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be implemented readily given the complex nature of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have major stakes.

"It is crucial to evaluate whether we can reclaim time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, 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 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 "the total burden" on the players.

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

"That freedom is rare in professional sport. But with that comes obligation - understanding when to compete and when to rest."

Stretching several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - has also been faulted.

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

In addition to mental burnout, there are worries about the rising physical demands.

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to player association statistics.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the tour schedule layout and the turnarounds between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

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

In 2024, the tours implemented a new rule preventing matches starting after 11pm.

But there have persisted instances of matches ending deep into the night - 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 extends well beyond the match.

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in weight and pace - has been cited as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," said 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, believes 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 extremely beneficial to the players," he said.

The tours began using a more standardized equipment policy during 2025 and project "full alignment" in the coming years.

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

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

Using data-led analysis, the NFL required consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to lessen 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 keeping players out on the field.

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

Other leagues have enacted regulations aimed at protecting specific positions, limiting their workload at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

Some retired players believe the strain 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 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."

Athletes Are Pushing for Reform - What Are Their Demands?

An increasing number of players are speaking out 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 substantive discussions about the tour schedule duration, 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 new season.

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players also participate in 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.

"{Uniform