When Daria Kasatkina concluded her 2025 season prematurely in October, the ex-world number eight articulated feeling completely exhausted.
“The fixture list is overwhelming. I’m reaching my mental and emotional limits, and unfortunately, others share this experience,” she communicated.
Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, a Wimbledon semi-finalist on two occasions, previously declared her inability to proceed due to her “mental state,” and current Grand Slam winners Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz also consider the annual schedule excessively lengthy.
This subject remains a point of discussion as top tennis players globally gather once more in Australia for the commencement of the 2026 season.
A break period marginally extended beyond that of 2025 has been met with approval. Despite this, a few weeks are not considered sufficient for adequate recovery prior to embarking on an 11-month competitive period widely recognized as one of the most demanding in professional athletics.
“The requirements of tennis are more intense now than at any prior point,” stated Dr. Robby Sikka, who serves as the medical director for the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA), an organization co-established by Novak Djokovic, in an interview with BBC Sport.
“Matches extend for longer durations, rallies are more protracted, competitors exhibit greater speed, and they strike the ball with increased force.
“It is our obligation to safeguard our athletes and provide them with a more viable sporting environment.”
Therefore, what actions are currently underway, and which additional measures might be implemented?
