In 2024, The skilled tennis season formally got here to a detailed on December twenty second, when Joao Fonseca defeated Lerner Tien to win the title on the ATP Subsequent Technology Finals in Saudi Arabia.
The 2025 season started on December twenty seventh in Australia for the United Cup. Fonseca and Tien returned to the courtroom on December 30 for tournaments in Australia and Hong Kong, respectively.
2024 U.S. Open doubles champion Jordan Thompson mentioned on the time, “I do not understand how the ’25 season goes to begin in ’24.” “I imply, it is a joke.”
Fonseca and Tien have been and not using a sanctioned occasion for about 4 weeks till the Subsequent Technology Finals, however the five-day return to motion underscores how little time skilled tennis gamers must relaxation, recuperate and put together for the brand new season. There was simply over a month between the Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup and United Cup. The WTA Finals and ATP Finals have been held in mid-November.
The size of the season and the unrelenting globe-trotting nature of the tour have lengthy been a supply of frustration amongst gamers, and people frustrations have intensified in recent times. Alex de Minaur mentioned his early withdrawal from this yr’s French Open was on account of “burnout”. Iga Swiatek criticized calls for for an “overcrowded” schedule when she missed the spring Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. On the China Open in late September, 5 of the 12 scheduled matches ended with early withdrawals.
A number of gamers, together with Francis Tiafoe, Daniel Collins, Jack Draper and Daria Kasatkina, ended their seasons earlier this yr on account of accidents and psychological fatigue.
Kasatkina mentioned in a social media put up: “The reality is, I’ve hit a wall and I can not go on anymore. I would like a break. A break from the monotony of life on tour, suitcases, outcomes, strain, the identical faces (sorry ladies) and every thing that comes with this life.” “My schedule has been so demanding that I’ve reached a breaking level mentally and emotionally, however sadly I am not alone.”
The talk over the size and depth of the tennis season will proceed because the 2025 season wraps up and gamers rapidly flip their consideration to 2026. The large query is: Will something change within the close to future?
prime ranked american Taylor Fritz had a breakout season in 2024. After reaching the quarterfinals on the Australian Open and Wimbledon, she reached her first main last on the US Open. By the top of the season, he had received two ATP titles, reached 4 finals (together with the ATP Finals), received an Olympic bronze medal in doubles with Tommy Paul, and achieved a brand new career-high rating of No. 4.
However there isn’t any time to rejoice. And actually, he carried out so properly that his season was solely prolonged as he earned an invite to the ATP Finals on the finish of the yr and likewise performed within the Davis Cup Finals.
“There isn’t any offseason, and should you’re a prime participant you even have even much less of an offseason,” Fritz instructed ESPN within the spring. “In case your season ends in Paris (early November) like most gamers do, you get a month and a half, possibly somewhat extra, possibly an additional week earlier than the season begins, however should you play the Tour Finals and the Davis Cup you really get an additional three weeks. And should you play the United Cup like I did, you begin earlier since you’re a prime participant.”
In Fritz’s case, it was about three weeks from the top of the 2024 season to the beginning of the 2025 season. He mentioned he must return dwelling on the finish of November and go away for Australia on December twenty first. And as he identified, there was so much to do within the meantime.
“Folks do not perceive that you need to prepare throughout that point,” Fritz says. “The low season is while you prepare, so if in case you have three weeks, you simply take one week (to chill out or go on trip) and that is it. You may have one week off all year long. It is ridiculous.”
This can be a vital interval, as many gamers are taking time to implement the modifications they want, each technically and when it comes to teaching employees. However is it extra essential than having the chance to relaxation and recuperate after a bodily demanding season on the street? That is for every participant to resolve.
For some individuals, the low season, irrespective of how brief, is without doubt one of the solely occasions they get to spend at dwelling. That is very true for Australians who spend a lot of the season in a suitcase.
“For me, after I get again to Australia, I simply need to go to the seashore and chill out and take a two-week break from the racket,” Thompson mentioned initially of the 2025 season. “However I nonetheless must do a number of bodily issues to remain in form. I actually have three weeks till I am again in event mode. With this a lot bodily day without work, I can not afford to fail.”
Will gamers discover time to take a break throughout the season? Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 38, solely competed in main tournaments this summer time, lacking all ATP tournaments in June, July and August. His objectives have been to win a record-breaking twenty fifth main title and prioritize spending time together with his household. However he is additionally in an uncommon place. He says he would not care about his rankings at this stage in his profession, and with greater than $190 million in winnings on the courtroom, he has little to fret about financially.
The tour requires gamers to compete in a sure variety of tournaments annually. Qualifying ATP gamers should compete in all 4 majors, eight Masters 1000-level tournaments and 5 500-level tournaments, together with the event held after the US Open. Along with competing in 10 1000-level tournaments and 6 500-level occasions, the highest WTA gamers should additionally compete in a Grand Slam. Seven of the 1000 stage tournaments now final 12 days, and several other tournaments have not too long ago been prolonged from one week.
Gamers could also be excused from majors or 1000-level tournaments on account of harm, but when a WTA participant doesn’t meet the factors for six tournaments in a 500-level occasion, rating factors shall be deducted. Along with present No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Swiatek, prime 10 gamers together with Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova and Madison Keys additionally misplaced factors on the finish of the 2024 season after lacking the required variety of tournaments. Swiatek, who was in first place on the time, fell to second place. ATP gamers who don’t meet the factors could have their bonus pool earnings diminished on the finish of the season.
Many prime gamers have been vocal concerning the influence of schedule size and necessities, particularly since they typically attain the top of the tournaments they play.
Swiatek, who performed in one of many injury-shortened matches on the China Open in September, was fast guilty her schedule after her opponent Camila Osorio withdrew after the primary set. She instructed reporters that she would doubtless “have to select and select some tournaments and skip them though they’re necessary” sooner or later.
“WTA, with all these necessary guidelines, issues have gotten fairly loopy for us,” Swiatek mentioned. “I do not suppose any prime participant can play six 500 tournaments and really accomplish this. It is unimaginable to cram that right into a schedule.
“I feel we have now to be good about it. Sadly, we do not care concerning the guidelines and simply take into consideration what’s wholesome for us. Yeah, it is tough.”
Swiatek misplaced his subsequent match and reached the quarterfinals in Wuhan, however missed out on elimination within the group stage of the WTA Finals.
The WTA and different officers within the sport have repeatedly pointed to increasing the 1000-level event as a part of a method to make sure equal prize cash in tournaments with males.
“We all the time hear individuals asking for extra prize cash, extra prize cash. That is what the Tour must do: improve the prize cash to increase the length of the event,” Anne Keosavon, a former participant and captain of Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup group, mentioned in a latest interview with Sky Sports activities. “So, what would you like?”
World No. 3 Gauff disagreed with that declare, however mentioned it will be “unimaginable” to satisfy all the necessities in any given yr.
“From a enterprise perspective, it would make some sense, however from a participant well being perspective, I do not actually agree with it,” Gauff mentioned on the China Open. “I have been enjoying tennis principally as a lot as I can, nevertheless it’s unimaginable to hit six 500s in a row. It is simply unimaginable.”
Gauff competed in three 500-level tournaments in 2025, together with Sabalenka, Swiatek and Anisimova. It’s performed in 4 keys. Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that the variety of matches has decreased. Swiatek performed in a tour-leading 80 video games this season. Sabalenka competed in ’76 (as did WTA Finals champion Elena Rybakina), Gauff in ’65, Anisimova in ’63 and Keys in ’53.
On the Shanghai Masters in October, the highest gamers confirmed their full potential. Many complained of the acute warmth and humidity, whereas others have been feeling the load of the lengthy season.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz withdrew earlier than the event began on account of a left ankle harm. Second-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from the third spherical on account of cramps. Djokovic vomited throughout his spherical of 32 match and wanted therapy for a again harm he sustained in his semi-final loss. Within the last, Valentin Bachelot, who was ranked 204th on the planet on the time and was the ninth alternate within the qualifying draw, confronted off in opposition to his cousin Arthur Rinderknek, who was ranked fortieth on the time. Whereas it is definitely an unbelievable story, it in all probability wasn’t the title showdown that ATP hoped for at one among its signature occasions.
final month, ATP has introduced that it’ll add a Masters 1000-level event to its schedule in Saudi Arabia as early as 2028. This brings the full variety of classes to 10, 9 of that are required. (Monte Carlo stays an non-obligatory occasion.) It stays unclear when the event will happen in an already packed schedule, or if ladies will even take part.
Lately, the French Open, Australian Open, and US Open have added one match day to their most important tournaments and moved their opening days from Mondays to Sundays. A number of gamers in New York voiced their opposition because it was held for the primary time at this yr’s U.S. Open.
Jessica Pegula, who’s presently ranked sixth, mentioned, “I do not actually prefer it.” “I do not know why they needed to prolong it much more. Properly, I can see why they did it, as a result of they might promote tickets for an additional day.”
Brad Stein, Tommy Paul’s longtime coach, acknowledged that the talk over season size is nothing new. He is been teaching on the skilled stage since 1990, when he began working with Jim Courier, and he is heard these phrases over time.
Whereas Stein definitely believes that the ATP and WTA ought to remove the excellence of “obligation” in tournaments and guarantee gamers have every week or two off after a event, he additionally believes that gamers shouldn’t be “paranoid” about shedding rating factors and may skip tournaments at any time when they really feel they want a break.
“Nobody has to play. You possibly can relaxation everytime you need,” he mentioned.
Moreover, he believes lots of the gamers negate their considerations by enjoying in high-paying exhibitions throughout the offseason and different schedules.
“There would not appear to be a scarcity of gamers who need to take part in these occasions,” Stein instructed ESPN. “A few of these gamers are in favor of a shorter season, saying, ‘I would like extra relaxation, I would like a shorter season.'” However when given the chance to take day without work, they select to take part in additional occasions. ”
Alcaraz, who has been some of the vocal advocates for the necessity for a shorter season, will compete within the high-stakes Six Kings Slam in October and several other different exhibition occasions in December, together with New York, Newark and Miami. He rapidly denied that correlation.
“We play exhibitions in a special format and below completely different situations than the official tournaments, that are held for 15 or 16 consecutive days, and require a really excessive stage of focus and bodily power,” Alcaraz mentioned on the Six Kings Slam press convention. “We’re simply having enjoyable and enjoying tennis for a day or two, which is nice and why we select exhibitions.
“I perceive (the criticism), however typically individuals do not perceive us or our opinions. If you’re operating an occasion this lengthy, like two weeks or two-and-a-half weeks, it is not as robust mentally (in comparison with).”
Whereas plainly method most gamers imagine one thing It wants to vary, however there are challenges within the particulars.
Requested what ought to change, Fritz mentioned: “We simply must shorten it. There’s an excessive amount of.” “That is an excessive amount of.”
He added that he didn’t imagine any modifications would happen sooner or later.
“I do not suppose our voices are being heard,” he mentioned. “There’s me, Carlos and I feel Sasha (Zverev) as properly, however there’s simply three of the highest 4 gamers on the planet saying it must be shortened, and there is actually no discuss of any modifications in any respect.”
And it is not that straightforward. For instance, it might appear logical to finish the season with a year-end last proper after the US Open, however that would go away the present 12 WTA tournaments and 13 ATP tournaments (together with the Billie Jean King Cup, Davis Cup, and Laver Cup) on the calendar. Organizing organizations and cities pay giant licensing charges to host every occasion (costs differ relying on the extent of the event) and usually enter into multi-year contracts.
Not a lot has modified, however there have been some modifications.
The Billie Jean King Cup last was held in November of final yr and in latest seasons, however this yr it was moved to September as a result of longer low season for WTA gamers. It was additionally held in Shenzhen, China for the primary time, and plenty of gamers have been capable of play seamlessly within the Asian swing instantly after. (Nonetheless, the playoffs to resolve which groups will qualify for the 2026 event shall be held from November 14th to sixteenth, with 21 international locations taking part.) Davis Cup will keep its earlier time slot, opening in Bologna, Italy, on November 18th and concluding on November twenty third.
There have been discussions about bigger modifications. In 2024, the winners of the 4 main tournaments have held early talks for a “Premier Tour” with an annual schedule consisting of a significant, about 10 different occasions and a last on the finish of the yr.
In response, the WTA and ATP proposed the same concept for the Slam tournaments this spring, with the purpose of “reimagining the game.” In response to a reporter for The Athletic, the plan additionally contains slicing 4 majors, 10 1000-level occasions, 17 WTA 500-level occasions, 16 ATP occasions, and 250-level tournaments by license buybacks. Finally, the variety of tournaments between the 2 organizations shall be diminished from 118 to about 75. Nonetheless, the WTA and ATP have been unable to market the Grand Slam consistent with this imaginative and prescient, reportedly due partly to the proposed construction for the board that might oversee the brand new enterprise.
However whereas it might be unimaginable to dramatically change the game, there are different small methods to resolve the issue, a minimum of for now. Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick mentioned altering the order of occasions in his fall schedule on a latest episode of his podcast, Served.
“Why cannot there be (ATP 250-level tournaments just like the Nordic Open or European Open) after the World Tour finals?” Roddick questioned. “Why cannot we have now a wrap-around season the place these (250) spend a month (into the brand new yr)? (If) extra gamers need extra probabilities, that is nice. Let’s try this. And if the highest gamers select to play within the Six Kings or different exhibitions, then within the new yr They can not complain anymore concerning the schedule being too lengthy as a result of (because it stands) they must fill some house. They must play one thing earlier than the World Tour if the finals finish in late November. ”
The WTA and ATP usually are not unaware of gamers’ complaints and considerations. In a press release to ESPN, the WTA mentioned participant welfare is its “prime precedence” and that it’s in fixed communication with gamers, together with by the Gamers Council and WTA Board of Administrators representatives.
“After in depth consideration, gamers and event representatives have voted to introduce enhancements to the Tour’s season construction in 2024,” the WTA assertion continued. “The up to date construction considerably will increase participant compensation ($400 million over the subsequent few years), provides extra competitors alternatives in any respect ranges of the tour, and establishes clearer participant participation pointers for top-ranked gamers to make sure stronger fields at prime occasions, whereas additionally making it simpler for followers to observe and join with the gamers and the season.”
The group added that it was “dedicated to always reviewing the construction of the tour.”
Requested for remark, the ATP directed ESPN to an interview with president Andrea Gaudenzi in August. Gaudenge described the calendar as “sophisticated” however mentioned the ATP’s aim was to “prolong the offseason.” However he emphasised the person nature of tennis, including that the ATP is one among many organizing our bodies in skilled tennis and has a say within the schedule.
“One participant could also be eradicated within the first spherical, whereas one other could elevate the trophy after the ultimate,” Gaudenzi mentioned. “Discovering options that work at each ends of the spectrum isn’t straightforward. And you’ll’t simply construct a calendar round a single inhabitants of gamers. It’s a must to take into account all populations.”
Nonetheless, irrespective of how far aside the gamers and forces appear to be on the schedule, it’s clear that the present state of affairs is delicate at greatest.
Djokovic, who spent a number of years on the ATP’s gamers council and based the Skilled Tennis Gamers Affiliation (PTPA) in 2020, has been a fierce critic of the present evolving schedule for years and has been in opposition to it for “greater than 15 years” in his estimation. However when requested forward of October’s Shanghai Masters occasion, even he admitted it was a “very advanced” topic.
Finally, he mentioned gamers might want to work more durable and study the completely different layers of the tennis ecosystem in the event that they need to see change.
“On the finish of the day, as a participant and as somebody who has performed on the highest stage for over 20 years, I can say that the gamers usually are not united sufficient,” Djokovic mentioned. “Gamers aren’t taking part sufficient when they need to be taking part. In order that they make feedback, they complain, after which they go away… However you need to make investments time, make investments vitality in your self… perceive how the system works, perceive what you are able to do to show it round, perceive what you are able to do to enhance when it comes to the advantage of the gamers.”
“As a result of while you go to the media and discuss issues, you may get vitality and a focus, however on the finish of the day, it would not change something, proper? I do know that from private expertise, imagine me.”
