Safeguarding Athletes: How Will Tennis Steer Clear of Reaching a Tipping Point?

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

"The schedule is too much. Psychologically and emotionally, I am drained, and, unfortunately, 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 continue, while sitting Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz furthermore think the calendar is too long.

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

A slightly longer off-season than 2025 has been welcomed. However, a handful of weeks is not considered enough time for adequate recovery before preparations begin for an eleven-month schedule regarded as among the most grueling in professional sport.

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

So what measures are in place and what further steps could be taken?

Reducing the Calendar Length

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 finished two weeks earlier when the tour finals concluded in early November. The governing body 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 "casually," while the WTA Tour says player welfare will "consistently be the foremost concern."

That did not placate the PTPA, which began legal action against the men's and women's tours in March, citing "unfair practices and a clear neglect of athlete well-being."

Overhauling the calendar is an clear answer but cannot be implemented readily given the complicated structure of tennis governance, where the four Grand Slams, ATP, WTA, and ITF each have controlling interests.

"We must consider whether we can create more 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 mini-break," noted Dr. Sikka.

Former world number one Andy Roddick, a vocal proponent of reform, says the season should not go past 1 November.

The ATP Tour has decreased the number of events which are included in the rankings for 2026, which it believes will reduce "the cumulative strain" on the players.

"An aspect commonly missed: players choose their own schedules," commented ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.

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

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

"I think players are more mentally tired and more fatigued because they're spending more days away," said 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 particular times of the year, according to player association statistics.

The organization says these "foreseeable patterns" are down to the structure of the calendar and the turnarounds between court surfaces.

Minimizing Midnight Matches & Uniform Balls

When a high-profile game at the Australian Open ended in the wee hours in 2023, it seemed set to trigger adjustments.

In 2024, the tours implemented a new rule prohibiting matches commencing later than 11pm.

But there have persisted instances of matches ending deep into the night - which medical experts cannot be allowed to be "romanticised".

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

"Media interviews, rehabilitation, and treatment are required. Your day doesn't end at midnight.

"The physical and neurological systems lack adequate time to recuperate. There is no other sport which mandates that."

A lack of standardization in tournament equipment - leading to changes in feel and performance - has been identified as a source of a rise in 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 persistent wrist issue, believes tournaments in the same circuit should use one type of ball.

"This should be a straightforward solution - 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 unified ball-approval process during 2025 and expect "full alignment" in the coming years.

Learn from NFL & Protect Young Players

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

Using data-led analysis, the NFL demanded consistent playing surfaces and improved helmet technology to minimize 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 are investing heavily in their stated goals by protecting athletes and investing hugely – that model is the exemplar."

Other leagues have introduced rules aimed at protecting throwers, limiting their workload at the professional level and putting guidelines for juniors.

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

"We pick up a racket as kids 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."

Players 'Motivated' for Change - What Do They Want?

An growing group 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 larger share of revenue, as well as genuine dialogue about the tour schedule duration, elongated tournaments and match timing.

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

Public understanding may be limited, though, given top players also participate in lucrative showcase matches.

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

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