When Daria Kasatkina cut her 2025 season short in October, the former world number eight described how she had “hit a wall”.
“The schedule is so full. I am on the verge of a breakdown mentally and emotionally, and sadly I am not alone,” she wrote.
Two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Elina Svitolina of Ukraine has announced she is not in the “mental space” to continue playing, while reigning Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz believe the schedule is too long.
As the world’s top tennis players gather in Australia for the start of the 2026 season, the topic continues to be debated.
A slightly longer offseason than 2025 would be welcome. However, a few weeks were deemed insufficient to allow for proper recovery before preparations for the 11-month tournament, considered one of the most grueling in professional sport.
“The demands of tennis are more stringent than ever before,” Dr Robbie Sikka, medical director of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), a group co-founded by Novak Djokovic, told BBC Sport.
“Games and rallies are longer, players are faster and they hit the ball harder.
“We have a responsibility to our players to protect them and provide them with a more sustainable sport.”
So what is being done and what further steps can be taken?
