Is the tennis calendar crowded or is everyday life more physically demanding? Gigi Salmon weighs in on key questions | Tennis news

Gigi Salmon examines whether the tennis calendar is sustainable in the modern era. Is it really crowded or is everyday life just more physically demanding? Commentator assesses key issues in her latest Aerial sports column.

I love the fact that if life allowed, I could pretty much watch tennis all day, every day, because chances are you can find tennis being played somewhere at some level, but you have to ask the question at what cost.

We are in the latter part of the season and while injuries are normal, it seems that due to a combination of injuries, mental or physical fatigue, more players than usual are taking time off at the start of the season to give themselves enough time to rest, recover and get going again.

Does tennis need to change?

One of the most recent players whose season came to an abrupt and painful end was Holger Rune, who entered his semi-final in Stockholm nursing a hamstring injury and left with a torn Achilles tendon, which, as the 22-year-old confirmed in a statement the following day: “It will be a while before I can get back on the pitch. My tendon Achilles is completely broken in the proximal part, which means I need an operation and rehabilitation from now on.”

Achilles’ operation has already taken place, it was considered a success and now the long road to recovery begins for Rune.

The Dane’s injury prompted British number one Jack Draper, whose 2025 season ended with a left arm injury, to take to social media to demand a change in exchange for longevity: “We push our bodies to do things they’re not supposed to do in elite sport… we have so many incredible young people on the tour at the moment and I’m proud to be one of them. However, the tour and the calendar must adapt if any of us are to achieve any sort of goal. longevity.”

The first person to respond to Draper’s post on

The list of players ending their season continues to grow, but one statement that stood out was that of Daria Kasatkina, the 22nd in the world saying: “The truth is that I have hit a wall and I can’t continue. I need a break. A break from the monotonous daily grind of the tour, the suitcases, the results, the pressure, the same faces (sorry girls), everything that comes with this life.”

Other players who said goodbye to the 2025 season are Emma Raducanu, Naomi Osaka, Elena Svitolina, Paula Badosa, Danielle Collins, Beattrice Haddad Mia, Francis Tifoe and Hubert Hubert.

Is the intensity of the planning sustainable?

I remember speaking to Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati last year for Sky Sports Tennis. I asked a fairly innocuous question about the transition from clay (Olympics) to hard courts, and his answer revolved around the intensity of the unsustainable schedule.

Speaking last month, Swiatek suggested that in the future she might decide to miss certain events: “Maybe I will have to choose certain tournaments and skip them, even if they are obligatory.”

And world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who missed the Shanghai Masters with an ankle injury, returned to the Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament and put it more bluntly when he said recently: “They’re probably going to kill us one way or another,” referring to the crowded schedule.

So what do players at the top of the game have to juggle to keep their rankings healthy and their sponsors happy?

There are mandatory requirements for both visits. As things currently stand on the WTA Tour, it is mandatory for top players to participate in a minimum of 20 events, including all four Grand Slam tournaments, 10 WTA 1000 events and six 500-level tournaments.

Nineteen events count toward an ATP ranking each year (the Nitto ATP Finals count as an additional event), although it is mandatory for players who qualify there to compete in eight Masters 1000 events – Monte Carlo is a popular but not mandatory event.

In addition to the four Grand Slams, players in the top 30 must also participate in at least four ATP 500 events.

This is a difficult question and far from simple. Players want to win more, so tournaments become longer to win more money, which in part translates into prize money. There are also appearance fees, which can be very lucrative and impossible to refuse.

Can’t say no to money?

Then there are the exhibitions in which they are entitled to participate as individual entrepreneurs. Imagine if someone came up to you and told you that the top prize on offer is $6 million (£4.5 million) with an additional $1.5 million (£1.1 million) just for showing up – that’s what the players taking part in the Six Kings Slam were playing for and I’m not sure anyone in their right mind would say no to that, but it all adds to the stress on the mind and body.

Sascha Zverev lost to Taylor Fritz in 59 minutes and walked away with $1.5 million; It’s impossible to say no!

Despite their seasons being halted, Draper confirmed he will take part in the UTS event in London in December as he looks to test his arm, while Raducanu is set to play an exhibition in Miami in December against Amanda Anisimova. Alcaraz, who is unhappy with the length of the tennis schedule, will also feature against Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.

That’s not to say they shouldn’t be there because, unlike most sports professionals, tennis players are not employees, so they play wherever they please and when it benefits them as independent contractors.

Expansion of Masters 1000 events

A talking point on the tour this year has been the expansion of the majority of ATP Masters 1000 events, six of which are combined with the WTA to 12 days and 96-player draws (the ATP Monte Carlo and Paris remain 56-player draws), with many unhappy with the increased length.

But what it does allow is more days off between matches to aid recovery, an increase in revenue, reflected in prize money and also, most importantly, opportunities for lower ranked players.

We can cite the recent example of Monegasque Valentin Vacherot, who entered qualifying for the Shanghai Masters as a lucky loser ranked 204 after the withdrawal of nine players giving him his chance.

Nine matches later his life would change forever when he was crowned champion, moving up to 40th and claiming a check for £824,000.

If it was a 56-player week-long draw, he wouldn’t have even considered making the trip because he would have had no chance of making it.

Former players with more than 100 games played in a season? Eugene Kafelnikov

Is there a solution?

The purpose of this article was not to take sides or find an answer, but to highlight where the sport is at, what the players are saying, and to continue a conversation that has a long way to go in the mission to find a solution that works for everyone. I’ve heard some people suggest less touring and more exhibitions, while others say there should be fewer exposure opportunities to remove temptation and allow players to rest and recover.

You won’t be surprised to learn that there is still tennis to be played in 2025. There are still places up for grabs at the respective Tour Finals, with the Davis Cup Final in Bologna following the ATP Tour Final in Turin, which we now know will not feature Jannik Sinner as he looks to give himself as much time as possible to prepare for the season opener in Australia.

And the good news is that if there’s tennis, you’ll find it on Sky Sports Tennis, where we look forward to your company as we see you through to the end of the season.

Watch the ATP and WTA Tour, live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, giving Sky Sports customers access to over 50% more live sport this year, at no extra cost. Learn more here.