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After Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season early in October, the one-time elite competitor detailed how she had "reached her limit."

"The itinerary is excessive. Mentally and emotionally I'm at breaking point, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she wrote.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had previously announced she was not in "the psychological condition" to continue, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore believe the calendar is too long.

This issue is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players assemble once more in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. However, several weeks is not seen as enough time for adequate recovery before preparations begin for an season lasting nearly a year seen as among the most demanding in professional sport.

"Tennis places greater strain on athletes now than it ever has," 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.

"We have a duty to safeguard our athletes and give them a more sustainable sport."

So what is being done and what next actions could be implemented?

Reducing the Calendar Length

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

The women's circuit ended two weeks earlier when the tour finals concluded in early November. The governing body moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to help combat 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 failed to satisfy the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Restructuring the calendar is an apparent fix but cannot be achieved easily 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 reclaim time at the end of the year for an longer break, or can we buy time during the season so there is a short hiatus," 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 factor into the rankings for 2026, which it believes will diminish "the total burden" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players determine their own playing calendar," remarked ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes accountability - knowing when to push and when to recover."

Prolonging several required events across a fortnight - creating so-called 'super weeks' - has also been criticized.

"In my view, athletes are more psychologically drained and exhausted because they're being on the road longer," stated Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

As well as mental burnout, there are worries about the rising 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.

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

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

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

But there have continued to be instances of matches finishing well past midnight - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"Once the final point is played, a player's duties continue," added 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. There is no other sport which mandates that."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been pointed to as a source of increased 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 retired last year with an persistent wrist issue, believes tournaments in the same swing should use one standard 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 project "complete uniformity" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

Medical researchers believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to inform the welfare of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and enhanced helmet technology to minimize the risk of injury.

"The NFL has made many rule changes based on empirical evidence," 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 keeping players out on the field.

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

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

Some retired players believe the load put on the upper body of tennis players from a young age is a significant factor in their injuries later on.

"We start playing from such an early age and have so many countless swings 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 finding their voice about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a collection of elite athletes applying force 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 match timing.

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

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players occasionally sign up for 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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