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After Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season early in October, the ex-top ten player explained how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The calendar is overwhelming. Mentally and emotionally I'm at breaking point, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she stated.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had already revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to continue, while current Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also think the calendar is overly extended.

This issue remains under discussion as the world's top tennis players reconvene in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been greeted positively. However, a handful of weeks is not seen as enough time for proper recuperation before work commences for an eleven-month schedule considered among the most demanding in professional sport.

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

"The duration of play has increased, players are faster, they're hitting the ball harder.

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

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

Shortening the Season

The 2025 season covered 47 weeks for many male competitors, 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 finished two weeks earlier when the tour finals finished in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address 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 "always remain a top priority."

That did not placate 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."

Revamping 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 major stakes.

"It is crucial to evaluate whether we can create more time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we create space during the season so there is a mini-break," added 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 cut the number of events which count towards the rankings for 2026, which it believes will lessen "the cumulative strain" on the players.

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

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes accountability - understanding when to compete and when to rest."

Stretching several mandatory tournaments across a fortnight - creating so-called 'mini Slams' - has also been criticized.

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

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

Players are more prone to upper-body injuries in specific periods, according to player association statistics.

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

Fewer Late Nights & More Ball Consistency

When a memorable contest at the Australian Open ended in the wee 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 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 pointed to as a source of increased 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 persistent wrist issue, argues tournaments in the same seasonal segment 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 unified ball-approval process during 2025 and expect "full alignment" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

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

Following data-led analysis, the NFL mandated consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to reduce 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.

"We've seen the economic model is skyrocketing 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 throws at the professional level and putting limits for young players.

Some retired players believe the stress put on the upper body of tennis players from a very early stage 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."

Athletes Are Pushing for Reform - What Are Their Demands?

An increasing number of players are becoming vocal about the demands placed on them.

Current world number ones are among a collection of elite athletes increasing demands on the Grand Slams with calls for a bigger piece of the financial pie, as well as meaningful consultation 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 next campaign.

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 "challenge" but thinks top players "criticizing the calendar" is not a good look.

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