Tennis is at a critical juncture, facing a potential crisis. The sport's elite players are speaking out, raising concerns about their physical and mental well-being. It's time to address these issues and find solutions to ensure tennis doesn't reach its breaking point.
The Wall of Tennis
Daria Kasatkina's decision to end her 2025 season early was a stark reminder of the toll the sport takes. She described feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted, a sentiment echoed by other top players like Elina Svitolina and the reigning Grand Slam champions. The debate continues as the tennis world gathers in Australia for the 2026 season, with players questioning the sustainability of the current calendar.
A Longer Break, But Is It Enough?
While a slightly extended off-season is welcomed, the consensus is that several weeks are insufficient for proper recovery. The upcoming 11-month campaign is considered one of the most demanding in professional sports, with Dr. Robby Sikka, medical director of the Professional Tennis Players' Association (PTPA), highlighting the increased physical and mental demands on players.
What's Being Done and What More Can Be Done?
Shortening the season is one proposed solution. The 2025 season spanned an extensive 47 weeks for many men, with the women's season concluding two weeks earlier. The ATP and WTA Tours acknowledge the concerns, but the PTPA, co-founded by Novak Djokovic, has taken legal action, citing anti-competitive practices and a disregard for player welfare. The organization argues that the length and scheduling of matches are taking a toll on players' health.
Revamping the Calendar: A Complex Task
Revising the calendar is an obvious solution, but it's a challenging task given the complex governance structure of tennis. The four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have controlling interests, making changes difficult. Dr. Sikka suggests exploring options like extending the off-season or creating mini-breaks during the season.
Advocates for Change
Former world number one Andy Roddick has long advocated for a season that doesn't extend beyond November 1st. The ATP Tour has reduced the number of ranking events from 19 to 18 for 2026, believing it will lessen the overall demands on players. However, the WTA rankings still require leading players to participate in at least 20 mandatory events.
Player Freedom and Responsibility
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi points out that players have the freedom to choose their schedules, a rare privilege in professional sports. With this freedom comes the responsibility to know when to push and when to recover. Stretching ATP and WTA mandatory tournaments across a fortnight, creating 'mini Slams,' has been criticized, with players like Andy Murray expressing concerns about increased mental fatigue and days spent on the road.
Addressing Physical Demands and Late Night Matches
There are growing concerns about the increased physical demands on players, with PTPA data showing more severe upper-body injuries in April, August, and October. The organization attributes these 'predictable clusters' to the calendar structure and surface transitions. Additionally, late-night matches finishing past midnight have become a point of contention. Dr. Sikka emphasizes that these late finishes cannot be romanticized, as players' recovery is impacted by the extended days.
Consistency in Balls and Learning from Other Sports
The use of different balls at different tournaments, resulting in changes in weight and pace, has been linked to increased upper-body injuries. Players like Katie Boulter advocate for more ball consistency. Former US Open champion Dominic Thiem suggests using the same ball type for clay, hard, and grass courts during the same swing. The tours have adopted a more centralized ball-selection system, aiming for full alignment by 2027.
Sports scientists believe tennis can learn from American team sports like the NFL, which uses data to guide the well-being of its stars. The NFL has implemented rule changes based on data analysis, demanding consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to reduce injuries. The MLB has introduced rules to protect pitchers, limiting throws and imposing age restrictions on young players.
Protecting Young Players and Reducing Upper-Body Injuries
Dominic Thiem believes the load on the upper body from a young age contributes significantly to injuries later in a player's career. He suggests reducing the repetitive nature of groundstrokes to alleviate wrist issues. The PTPA's Dr. Sikka emphasizes the importance of player motivation for change, as their health and success are tied to these improvements.
Player Voices and the Call for Action
More players are speaking up about the demands of the sport. World number ones Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, along with other stars, are pressuring the Grand Slams for a larger revenue share and meaningful consultations about the season's length, elongated tournaments, and scheduling. Players like Taylor Fritz and Emma Raducanu have shared their perspectives, with Raducanu acknowledging the challenge of the grind but questioning the optics of top players complaining about the calendar.
The PTPA has provided data analysis to over 100 players to guide recovery and welfare, with Dr. Sikka emphasizing the organization's mission to make players the healthiest versions of themselves.
