Is tennis calendar congested or is every day grind extra bodily demanding? Gigi Salmon weighs up the important thing questions

Gigi Salmon examines whether or not the tennis schedule is sustainable within the fashionable period. Is it actually congested or is the every day grind simply extra bodily demanding? The commentator weighs up the important thing questions in her newest Sky Sports activities column.

I like the truth that if life allowed, I might just about watch tennis all day, each day, as a result of likelihood is that you could find tennis being performed someplace at some degree, however the query must be requested at what value.

We’re into the ultimate a part of the season and whereas accidents are par for the course, it feels that by a mixture of damage, psychological or bodily fatigue extra gamers than regular are calling time early on their season to offer themselves sufficient time to relaxation, recuperate and go once more.

Does tennis want to alter?

Some of the current gamers whose season got here to an abrupt and painful finish was Holger Rune, who went into his semi-final in Stockholm nursing a hamstring damage and left with a torn Achilles, which, because the 22-year-old confirmed in an announcement the next day: “It’s going be a while before I can step on court again. My Achilles is fully broken on the proximal part meaning I need an operation and from here rehabilitation.”

The Achilles surgical procedure has already taken place, it was deemed a hit and now the lengthy street to restoration begins for Rune.

The damage to the Dane prompted British No 1 Jack Draper, whose 2025 season has ended with a left arm damage, to take to social media asking for change in alternate for longevity: “We are pushing our bodies to do things they aren’t supposed to in elite sport… we have so many incredible younger guys on the tour right now and I’m proud to be a part of that. However the tour and the calendar have to adapt if any of us are going to achieve some sort of longevity.”

The primary individual to answer to Draper’s message on X was former US Open finalist Taylor Fritz beginning his message with ‘Information,’ and occurring so as to add that it wasn’t simply the complete schedule that’s resulting in accidents but additionally “balls, courts and conditions have slowed down a lot making the weekly grind even more physically demanding and tough on the body.”

The record of gamers calling time on their seasons is ever-growing, however one assertion that stood out was from Daria Kasatkina, with the world No 22 saying: “Truth is, I’ve hit a wall and can’t continue. I need a break. A break from the monotonous daily grind of life on the tour, the suitcases, the results, the pressure, the same faces (sorry, girls), everything that comes with this life.”

Different gamers who’ve mentioned goodbye to the 2025 season are Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Elina Svitolina, Paula Badosa, Danielle Collins, Beatrice Haddad Mia, Francis Tiafoe and Hubert Hurkacz.

Is the depth of the schedule sustainable?

I bear in mind talking to Iga Swiatek throughout Cincinnati final yr for Sky Sports activities Tennis. I requested a reasonably innocuous query about transitioning from the clay (Olympics) again to the laborious courts, and her reply revolved across the depth of the unsustainable schedule.

Talking final month, Swiatek urged that transferring ahead she could determine to overlook some occasions: “Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory.”

And world No 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who missed the Shanghai Masters to relaxation an ankle damage, returned on the Six Kings Slam exhibition occasion and put it extra bluntly when he said not too long ago: “Probably, they are going to kill us in some way,” on the subject of the congested calendar.

So what do gamers on the high of the sport must juggle with the intention to hold their rating wholesome and sponsors completely satisfied?

There are necessary necessities for each excursions. As issues stand on the WTA Tour, it’s necessary for main gamers to take part in a minimal of 20 occasions together with the 4 Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 occasions and 6 500-level tournaments.

Nineteen occasions rely in the direction of an ATP rating yearly (the Nitto ATP Finals rely as an additional occasion), though it is just necessary for these gamers who qualify for them to contest eight Masters 1000 occasions – Monte Carlo is a well-liked however not necessary occasion.

Along with the 4 Grand Slams, gamers within the high 30 should additionally play at the least 4 ATP 500 occasions.

It is a robust one and it’s miles from simple. The gamers wish to earn extra, so the tournaments grow to be longer to make more cash which is translated partially to prize cash. There are additionally look charges, which could be very profitable and unimaginable to say no to.

Unimaginable to say no to cash?

Then there are the exhibitions, which, as particular person contractors, they’ve a proper to play. Think about if somebody got here as much as you and mentioned the highest prize on supply is $6m (£4.5m) with an additional $1.5m (£1.1m) only for turning up – that is what the gamers collaborating within the Six Kings Slam have been enjoying for and I am undecided anybody of their proper thoughts would say no to that, but it surely all provides to the stress on the thoughts and physique.

Sascha Zverev misplaced to Taylor Fritz in 59 minutes and walked away with $1.5m; that’s unimaginable to say no to!

Regardless of shutting down their seasons, Draper has confirmed he’ll participate within the UTS occasion in London in December as he seems to check out his arm, whereas Raducanu is because of play an exhibition in Miami in December in opposition to Amanda Anisimova. Alcaraz, who is not pleased with the size of the tennis calendar, may also be there up in opposition to the Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.

This is not to say they should not be there as once more, not like most sports activities professionals, tennis gamers aren’t workers, in order that they play the place they see match and when it advantages them as impartial contractors.

Enlargement of Masters 1000 occasions

A speaking level on tour this yr has been the growth of nearly all of the ATP Masters 1000 occasions, six of that are mixed with the WTA to 12 days and 96-player attracts (ATP Monte Carlo and Paris stay as 56-player attracts), with many sad with the elevated length.

However what it does enable for are extra relaxation days between matches to assist restoration, elevated income, mirrored within the prize cash and likewise, most significantly, alternatives for lower-ranked gamers.

You should utilize the current instance of the Monagasque Valentin Vacherot, who entered into qualifying for the Shanghai Masters as a fortunate loser ranked 204 after 9 gamers withdrew giving him his probability.

9 matches later, his life would change ceaselessly when he was topped champion, transferring to a rating of 40 and claiming a cheque for £824,000.

Had it been a one-week, 56-player draw, he would not even have thought of making the journey as he would have had no probability of getting in.

Previous gamers with 100+ matches performed in a season? Yevgeny Kafelnikov

Is there an answer?

The aim of this piece wasn’t to take sides or give you a solution, however to spotlight the place the game is at, what the gamers are saying and proceed a dialog that has a protracted strategy to go within the mission to discover a resolution that fits everybody. I’ve heard folks recommend fewer tour occasions and extra exhibitions, whereas others say there needs to be fewer exhibition alternatives to remove temptation and permit gamers to relaxation and recuperate.

Now you will not be stunned to be taught that there’s nonetheless tennis to be performed in 2025. There are nonetheless locations to be gained on the respective Tour Finals, with the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna to come back after the ATP Tour Finals in Turin, which we now know will not function Jannik Sinner as he seems to offer himself as a lot time as attainable to organize for the season openers in Australia.

And the excellent news is that if there’s tennis on, you will discover it on Sky Sports activities Tennis, the place we sit up for your organization as we take you thru to the top of the season.

Watch the ATP and WTA Tour, dwell on Sky Sports activities or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports activities app, giving Sky Sports activities clients entry to over 50 per cent extra dwell sport this yr at no further value. Discover out extra right here.