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When Daria Kasatkina cut short her 2025 season ahead of schedule in October, the former world number eight described how she had "hit a wall."

"The schedule is too much. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, regrettably, I'm not alone," she wrote.

Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a former Wimbledon final four contender, had earlier revealed she was not in "the mental space" to persist, while current Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also believe the calendar is too long.

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

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. Nonetheless, a few weeks is not seen as adequate time for thorough recuperation before work commences for an season lasting nearly a year regarded as among the most onerous in professional sport.

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

"Points and games are more extended, 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 is being done and what next actions could be implemented?

Condensing the Tour Schedule

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

The WTA Tour season finished two weeks earlier when the WTA Finals concluded in early November. The International Tennis Federation moved the Billie Jean King Cup Finals forward to September to help combat scheduling concerns.

The ATP Tour says it does not take the concerns of the players "lightly," while WTA leadership notes player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That failed to satisfy the PTPA, which initiated a lawsuit against the men's and women's tours in March, referencing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Restructuring the calendar is an obvious solution but cannot be implemented readily given the complicated structure of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have significant influence.

"We must consider whether we can buy back time at the end of the year for an more substantial rest period, or can we allow for a pause during the season so there is a short hiatus," 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 cut the number of events which factor into the rankings for 2026, which it believes will reduce "overall demands" on the players.

"A factor frequently ignored: players determine their own playing calendar," remarked ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

"Such autonomy is uncommon in elite athletics. But with that comes responsibility - recognizing the right time to play and the right time to heal."

Prolonging several required events across a fortnight - creating so-called 'extended events' - 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.

Alongside mental burnout, there are apprehensions about the rising physical demands.

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

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

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a notable match at the Australian Open ended in the middle of the night in 2023, it was expected to drive reform.

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

But there have still been instances of matches concluding long after midnight - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

"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.

"There is insufficient opportunity for the body and mind to heal. This is a unique demand in the sporting world."

Different tournaments playing with different balls - leading to changes in weight and pace - has been identified as a source of increased upper body injuries.

"My career has been plagued by injuries to the arm and wrist," commented one top British player, "and I observe these types of injuries becoming more common."

A former US Open champion, who ended his career last year with an persistent wrist issue, believes tournaments in the same circuit 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 centralized ball-selection system during 2025 and project "full alignment" in the coming years.

Emulate American Sports & Safeguard Juniors

Athletic performance experts believe tennis must learn from how American team sports use data to guide the wellbeing of its stars.

Based on data-led analysis, the NFL required 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.

"The financial returns have increased dramatically because their games are so competitive and they're keeping players out on the field.

"They're putting their money where their mouth is by protecting athletes and devoting significant resources – that model is the exemplar."

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

Some retired players believe the strain 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 repetitions 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."

Competitors Seek Adjustments - What Are the Key Issues?

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 ramping up pressure on the Grand Slams with calls for a increased portion of tournament income, as well as genuine dialogue about the calendar extent, elongated tournaments 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 upcoming tour.

Sympathy can be in short supply, though, given top players also participate in lucrative non-tour contests.

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

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