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After Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the former world number eight detailed how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The itinerary is excessive. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, sadly, I'm not alone," she expressed.

The Ukrainian athlete Elina Svitolina, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had previously declared she was not in "the mental space" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore believe the calendar is too long.

The topic is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players gather again in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.

A somewhat extended off-season than 2025 has been received well. However, several weeks is not regarded as enough time for proper recuperation 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," said Dr. Robby Sikka, chief medical officer 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 manageable sport."

So what actions are being taken and what next actions could be implemented?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

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

The WTA Tour season concluded two weeks earlier when the tour finals concluded in early November. The ITF 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 "perpetually be the highest focus."

That did not placate the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Overhauling the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be accomplished simply given the intricate web 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 more substantial rest period, or can we buy time during the season so there is a brief respite," added 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 decreased the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it believes will lessen "overall demands" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players choose their own schedules," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

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

Prolonging several compulsory competitions 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 being on the road longer," opined Britain's former men's world number one, Andy Murray.

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

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to player association statistics.

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

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a notable match at the Australian Open finished in the wee hours in 2023, it promised to spark change.

In 2024, the tours implemented a new rule preventing matches beginning past 11pm.

But there have continued to be instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts argue must not be glorified.

"When you are done playing you just don't go home," added 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."

The use of varying balls at different events - leading to changes in feel and performance - has been cited as a source of more frequent upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," 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 seasonal segment should use one type of 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 extremely beneficial to the players," he said.

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

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

Athletic performance experts believe tennis must emulate how American team sports use data to direct the health of its stars.

Following data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and advanced helmet technology to lessen 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.

"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 gold standard."

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their exertion 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 very early stage is a major contributor in their injuries later on.

"We start playing from such an early age and have so many iterations 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 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 bigger piece of the financial pie, as well as genuine dialogue about the tour schedule duration, longer competitions and scheduling.

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

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players occasionally sign up for lucrative exhibition events.

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

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