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After Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season prematurely in October, the one-time elite competitor described how she had "reached her limit."

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

Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, a two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, had already revealed she was not in "the psychological condition" to carry on, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also think the calendar is excessively lengthy.

This issue is still being argued as the world's foremost tennis players reconvene in Australia for the beginning of the 2026 season.

A marginally increased off-season than 2025 has been received well. Nonetheless, several weeks is not seen as enough time for thorough recuperation before work commences for an season lasting nearly a year considered among the most demanding in professional sport.

"The physical requirements of tennis are more intense than in the past," stated Dr. Robby Sikka, head of medicine 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 manageable sport."

So what actions are being taken and what further steps could be enacted?

Shortening the Season

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 season finished two weeks earlier when the season-ending championships concluded in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to alleviate scheduling concerns.

The men's tour states it does not take the concerns of the players "lightly," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That did not appease the PTPA, which commenced proceedings against the men's and women's tours in March, pointing to "anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare."

Restructuring the calendar is an obvious solution 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 need to think about whether we can create more 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 reduced the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it believes will lessen "overall demands" on the players.

"One point that often gets overlooked: players determine their own playing calendar," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"This level of choice is unusual in pro sports. But with that comes responsibility - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

Extending several required events across a fortnight - creating so-called 'mini Slams' - has also been criticized.

"I believe competitors are more worn out mentally and physically 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 concerns about the rising physical demands.

Players experience a higher rate of upper-body injuries in particular times of the year, according to available data.

The organization says these "anticipated spikes" are down to the seasonal itinerary and the switches in court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a high-profile game at the Australian Open concluded in the wee hours in 2023, it promised to spark change.

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

But there have persisted 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," 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. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in bounce and speed - has been cited as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"I have suffered numerous arm, shoulder, and wrist issues," said 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 chronic wrist problem, believes tournaments in the same seasonal segment should use one uniform 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 began using a more standardized equipment policy during 2025 and expect "total consistency" in the coming years.

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

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

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

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

"They are investing heavily in their stated goals by protecting athletes and allocating major funds – that model is the gold standard."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their exertion at the professional level and putting age restrictions.

Some retired players believe the load put on the upper body of tennis players from a tender age is a key element 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.

"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 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 larger share of revenue, as well as genuine dialogue about the length of the season, extended events and fixture planning.

Last year, a top-ten American player said it was "absurd" 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 relentless travel is a "difficulty" but thinks top players "criticizing the calendar" is not a good look.

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