Safeguarding Athletes: How Will Tennis Avoid Reaching a Breaking Point?

When Daria Kasatkina ended her 2025 season prematurely in October, the ex-top ten player described how she had "encountered a barrier."

"The calendar is overwhelming. My mental and emotional state is frayed, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she wrote.

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a double Wimbledon semi-final participant, had earlier revealed she was not in "the right headspace" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore believe the calendar is too long.

This issue remains under discussion as the world's leading tennis players gather again in Australia for the start of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nevertheless, a few weeks is not regarded as enough time for proper recovery before preparations begin for an eleven-month schedule considered among the most onerous in professional sport.

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

So what measures are in place and what additional measures could be taken?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

The 2025 season covered 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 women's circuit finished two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals wrapped up in early November. The ITF moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to address scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "casually," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "always remain a top priority."

That did not placate the PTPA, which began legal action against the men's and women's tours in March, citing "restrictive policies and an obvious indifference to player health."

Restructuring the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be achieved easily 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 longer break, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a mini-break," 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 is confident will lessen "the total burden" on the players.

"A factor frequently ignored: players choose their own schedules," stated 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."

Prolonging several required events across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - has also been faulted.

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

As well as mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the growing physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in specific periods, according to available data.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the tour schedule layout and the switches in court surfaces.

Reducing Late Finishes & Standardizing Equipment

When a memorable contest at the Australian Open finished in the middle of the night in 2023, it promised to spark change.

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

But there have still been instances of matches finishing well past midnight - which medical experts insist.

"Once the final point is played, a player's duties continue," added Dr. Sikka.

"Media interviews, rehabilitation, and treatment are required. Your day doesn't finish until much later.

"Your body, brain and nerves don't have chance to recover. 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.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," said one top British player, "and such ailments are increasingly prevalent among peers."

A former US Open champion, who retired last year with an chronic wrist problem, believes tournaments in the same circuit 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 incredibly useful to the players," he said.

The tours adopted a more unified ball-approval process during 2025 and project "total consistency" in the coming years.

Take Lessons from the NFL & Shield Developing Athletes

Sports scientists believe tennis must learn from how American team sports use data to inform the health of its stars.

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

"Their commercial success has soared because their games are so competitive and they're maintaining a healthy roster.

"They're putting their money where their mouth is by protecting athletes and investing hugely – that model is the gold standard."

Other leagues have implemented policies aimed at protecting pitchers, limiting their exertion at the professional level and putting age restrictions.

Some retired players believe the stress put on the upper body of tennis players from a young age is a key element in their injuries later on.

"Training begins in childhood and have so many countless swings of our groundstrokes," said the former champion.

"Eventually, the wrist bears the brunt. 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 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 larger share of revenue, as well as meaningful consultation about the tour schedule duration, extended events and fixture planning.

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

Public understanding may be limited, though, given top players sometimes commit to lucrative showcase matches.

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

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