LONDON — A series of high-profile incidents involving some of tennis's brightest young stars has ignited a fierce debate about the sport's scheduling and recovery protocols, with a growing chorus of players, pundits, and fans calling for urgent reform. The recent physical struggles of Britain's Emma Raducanu and a pointed complaint from Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz have brought the issue of brutal match timings and insufficient rest to the forefront of the tennis conversation.
The Raducanu Episodes: A Pattern of Concern
Emma Raducanu's triumphant 2021 US Open victory catapulted her to global stardom, but her young career has since been marred by a troubling series of niggling injuries and health-related withdrawals. While some have questioned her durability, a closer look reveals a pattern often linked to the sport's unforgiving calendar. In 2024 alone, Raducanu was forced to withdraw from the Madrid Open due to a recurring issue with her lower back, a decision she described as precautionary. This was followed by a concerning episode at the Nottingham Open, where she experienced "acute pain" in her side, requiring a medical timeout during a match. Most recently, her fourth-round withdrawal from Wimbledon due to wrist stiffness, while not officially linked to fatigue, raised further questions about the cumulative toll of the tour.
These incidents are not isolated. Following a match at the 2023 Australian Open, Raducanu revealed the immense physical strain of the tour, stating, "It's something I have to manage and stay on top of. It's just the amount of load, the amount of spikes... it's just about managing the load and not overloading." This candid admission highlights a central problem: the transition from the junior to the professional circuit involves a dramatic increase in physical demand, yet the schedule offers little room for adaptation or recovery.
Alcaraz's Midnight Complaint
The plea for change was given a powerful new voice at the 2024 French Open, where men's world number three Carlos Alcaraz voiced his frustration after a grueling, late-night five-set victory over Jannik Sinner. The semi-final encounter, a match of supreme quality, did not conclude until 2:18 a.m. local time in Paris. While thrilled with the win, Alcaraz was unequivocal in his post-match assessment of the scheduling. "I mean, it's not good for the players," he bluntly told the press.
He elaborated on the physical and mental challenge, pointing out the stark difference between a normal recovery and one that begins in the early hours of the morning. "Obviously, playing a fifth set at 2:00 a.m., for the crowd it's great, but honestly, for the players, we finish so late, we don't have time to recover for the next round. You finish at 3:00 a.m., then have to do all the recovery, media, and everything. It's a little bit dangerous for the players as well, to not recover well." His comments resonated deeply, underscoring that this is not just an issue of comfort, but one of athlete health and the integrity of competition.
The Core of the Problem
The complaints from Raducanu, Alcaraz, and many of their peers point to several systemic issues within the professional tennis calendar that create a perfect storm for player burnout and injury.
Brutal Turnarounds
Grand Slams are the worst offenders. It is not uncommon for a player to finish a best-of-five-set match late in the evening, only to be scheduled for their next match less than 48 hours later, sometimes during the day session. This provides insufficient time for:
- Physical Recovery: Muscle repair, inflammation reduction, and rehydration.
- Mental Preparation: Scouting the next opponent and developing a tactical plan.
- Medical Treatment: Addressing any niggles or strains from the previous match.
The Night Session Dilemma
While night sessions are a commercial boon for tournaments and a spectacle for broadcasters, they often come at the players' expense. A match scheduled for 7:00 p.m. can easily stretch past midnight, especially in the men's game. This creates a significant disadvantage for the winner, who must then face a fresher opponent in the subsequent round. The pursuit of prime-time television ratings is increasingly at odds with athlete welfare.
A Packed Calendar
Beyond the Slams, the ATP and WTA tours run almost year-round, with mandatory events forcing top players to maintain a relentless travel and competition schedule. There is little true "off-season" to build fitness and work on technical improvements, leading to players like Raducanu attempting to make significant changes to their game or fitness during the season, which can increase injury risk.
A Growing Chorus for Change
Alcaraz and Raducanu are far from alone. Novak Djokovic, president of the ATP Player Advisory Council, has long been a vocal advocate for reform. Following Alcaraz's late finish, Djokovic stated, "I think we have to talk about scheduling. It's a hot topic." He has previously suggested starting day sessions earlier and ensuring only one match is scheduled for the night session to prevent such extreme late finishes.
On the WTA tour, world number one Iga Swiatek has been a consistent and powerful voice. After a late finish herself in 2023, she made a passionate plea to tournament organizers. "It's not fun to play at 2:00 a.m.," she said. "I think we should focus more on what is healthy for players. We have to talk about it and how we can change that." The fact that both current superstars and the legends of the game are uniting on this issue adds immense weight to the argument for change.
Proposed solutions being discussed within the sport include:
- Implementing a mandatory cut-off time for matches, such as 11:00 p.m., with matches resuming the following day if necessary.
- Reducing the number of night session matches to one per session to minimize the risk of late finishes.
- Creating a more balanced calendar with longer off-season breaks and mandatory rest periods between major tournaments.
- Introducing more consistent scheduling at Grand Slams to protect players who have endured long, late battles.
Conclusion: A Tipping Point
The physical episodes experienced by Emma Raducanu and the public complaint from Carlos Alcaraz are not merely isolated incidents of player grievance. They are symptoms of a broader, systemic issue that threatens the long-term health of the sport's competitors and the quality of the product itself. When stars are forced to withdraw or compete at less than 100% due to a lack of recovery time, everyone loses: the players, the fans, and the tournaments. The plea for a sensible review of scheduling is a plea for the future of tennis itself. As the sport continues to evolve, prioritizing the well-being of its athletes must become a non-negotiable pillar, ensuring that the next generation of Raducanus and Alcarazes can showcase their talents for years to come, not just until their bodies break down.