The 2024 professional tennis season officially ended on December 22nd, with Joao Fonseca’s victory over Learner Tien at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Saudi Arabia. However, the 2025 calendar began on December 27th with the United Cup in Australia. This tight schedule has generated criticism about the duration and intensity of the circuit.
Players like Jordan Thompson, 2024 US Open doubles champion, have called the situation a “joke.” The short break between tournaments, with only four weeks between the Next Gen Finals and the start of the 2025 season, highlights the lack of time for rest and preparation for tennis players.
The schedule is too much, mentally and emotionally I’m at a breaking point and, unfortunately, I’m not alone.
Daria Kasatkina
Physical and mental fatigue has become a growing concern. Alex de Minaur attributed his early elimination at Roland Garros to feeling “exhausted.” Iga Swiatek criticized the intensity of the calendar, even questioning her participation in some mandatory tournaments. Several players, such as Frances Tiafoe, Danielle Collins, Jack Draper, and Daria Kasatkina, ended their seasons early due to injuries and exhaustion.
Taylor Fritz, who had a standout season in 2024, with quarter-finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and a final at the US Open, has also spoken on the subject. Fritz highlighted the lack of a real pre-season for elite players, who, due to their success, see their season extended with events like the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup.
The American tennis player pointed out that the rest time is drastically reduced, with only one week to relax and train. This period is crucial for implementing technical changes or changes in the training team, but it is opposed to the need for rest and recovery.Novak Djokovic, for his part, has chosen to play only the most important tournaments, prioritizing time with his family and his ranking. However, the requirement to play a minimum number of tournaments each year, imposed by the ATP and WTA circuits, is a factor that contributes to the saturation of the calendar.
Players like Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff, among others, have lost ranking points for not meeting participation requirements. Swiatek, who reached number one, dropped to number two.
Swiatek, after a match at the China Open, criticized the calendar and suggested that she might be forced to skip some mandatory tournaments.The WTA, in an attempt to equalize the economic prizes with men, has extended the duration of the 1000 level tournaments. Gauff, although she recognizes the commercial justification, considers it “impossible” to meet all the requirements of the calendar.
The situation was evident at the Shanghai Masters, where several players suffered from the heat and humidity, and Alcaraz withdrew due to injury. This situation reflects the impact of exhaustion from the long season.The ATP announced the addition of a new Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia for 2028, which will increase pressure on the calendar. Pegula expressed her discontent with the extension of the US Open.
Brad Stine, Tommy Paul’s coach, suggests eliminating the mandatory nature of tournaments and allowing players to take breaks when needed. Furthermore, he criticizes players who participate in lucrative exhibitions during the pre-season.
Alcaraz, despite being a proponent of a shorter season, participated in the Six Kings Slam in October. Alcaraz argued that exhibitions are different from official tournaments and do not entail the same mental demands.Fritz believes changes are unlikely, even though the world’s best players are requesting a reduction in the schedule.
The complexity of the calendar is manifested in the difficulty of finding a balance. The WTA and ATP have made some adjustments, such as changing the date of the Billie Jean King Cup final. More ambitious proposals, such as a “Premier Tour”, have been discussed, but have not prospered.
Andy Roddick suggested rearranging the 250-level tournaments after the season finals, allowing players who want more opportunities to participate, without compromising the rest of the top tennis players.
The WTA has stated that the well-being of athletes is a priority and that they are in constant communication with the players. The organization has implemented improvements in the season structure, including an increase in compensation to players and more competition opportunities.
The ATP, through its president Andrea Gaudenzi, acknowledges the complexity of the calendar and seeks to extend the preseason. However, Gaudenzi emphasizes the individual nature of tennis and the difficulty of finding solutions that satisfy all players.
Djokovic, critical of the current calendar, underlines the lack of unity and player participation in the search for solutions. Djokovic urges players to actively get involved in understanding the system to achieve significant changes.
