The 2024 professional tennis season concluded on December 22nd, with Joao Fonseca’s victory over Learner Tien at the ATP Next Gen Finals in Saudi Arabia. However, the 2025 season began on December 27th with the United Cup in Australia. This short break has sparked debate about the duration and intensity of the tennis calendar.
I don’t know how the ’25 season starts in ’24. It’s a joke.
Jordan Thompson
The physical and mental demands of the professional tennis circuit are a recurring theme. Players have little time to rest, recover, and prepare for the new season. The proximity between events such as the Billie Jean King Cup, the Davis Cup, the WTA Finals, and the ATP Finals leaves tennis players with a minimal margin of rest.
Players like Alex de Minaur and Iga Swiatek have expressed their exhaustion and criticized the intensity of the calendar. Several tennis players, including Frances Tiafoe, Danielle Collins, Jack Draper, and Daria Kasatkina, ended their seasons early due to injuries and mental fatigue.
In social media, Kasatkina expressed the need for a break, highlighting the monotony and pressure of life on the circuit. The key question is whether there will be significant changes in the near future to alleviate the burden on the players.Taylor Fritz had an outstanding season in 2024, reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and reaching his first Grand Slam final at the US Open. Despite his achievements, including two ATP titles and an Olympic bronze medal, the extended season due to the ATP Finals and the Davis Cup left him with little rest. Fritz highlighted the lack of preseason and the need to train during that period, limiting his vacation time to only one week a year.Novak Djokovic, for his part, chose to play only the most important tournaments, prioritizing time with his family. However, most players must comply with a minimum number of tournaments to avoid sanctions, which adds pressure to the calendar.
Players like Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, among others, lost points for not meeting the participation requirements. The situation has led players like Swiatek to question the feasibility of keeping up with the schedule and consider skipping mandatory tournaments in the future.The debate about the length of the calendar also intensified at the Shanghai Masters, where several players complained about the heat and humidity, and the wear and tear of the long season. Carlos Alcaraz withdrew due to injury and Jannik Sinner retired due to cramps, highlighting the physical impact of the calendar.The ATP announced the addition of a new Masters 1000 tournament in Saudi Arabia starting in 2028, which will increase pressure on the calendar. In addition, the French Open, the Australian Open, and the US Open have added playing days, which has generated criticism from the players.
Brad Stine, coach of Tommy Paul, suggests that players should be less “paranoid” about losing points and take breaks when necessary. At the same time, he points out that many players participate in lucrative exhibitions during the off-season, which contradicts their complaints about the length of the calendar. Alcaraz, one of the most vocal advocates for a shorter season, has participated in exhibition events, although he argues that they are different from official tournaments.Fritz believes that the players’ voices are not being heard. The WTA and ATP claim that the well-being of athletes is a priority and that they are in constant communication with the players. The WTA has introduced improvements to the season structure, including an increase in compensation and more competitive opportunities. However, the ATP recognizes the complexity of the calendar and seeks to extend the off-season.
Djokovic, critical of the situation, believes that players should get more involved to achieve significant changes. Despite the complaints and concerns, the current situation seems unsustainable, and the question about the future of the tennis calendar remains open.
