Holger Rune’s recent injury in Stockholm has once again started the discussion about one of tennis most unresolved issues – the relentless tour calendar. The 21-year-old Dane suffered a muscle tear that forced him to withdraw from the ATP250 event in Sweden, bringing further attention to the demands of the modern game.
Rune’s setback isn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a worrying pattern across both tours, where players are constantly managing fatigue, minor injuries and burnout. The ATP and WTA calendars now run virtually year-round, offering little true downtime. Players are asked to jump between continents, time zones and also surfaces, with barely enough time to recover, reset and train properly.
Jack Draper adds his voice
Jack Draper, another young player who’s faced his own injury challenges (and ended his 2025 season recently), shared this:
“Injuries are going to happen… we are pushing our bodies to do things they aren’t supposed to in elite sport. However, the tour and the calendar have to adapt if any of us are going to achieve some sort of longevity.”
He’s not alone in that view. Many top players have voiced similar frustrations recently, Alcaraz, Osaka and Iga Swiatek among others. Emma Raducanu also ended her season this week for recovery. The commercial engine of tennis keeps rolling though, powered by TV deals, sponsors and the need to keep tournaments on every week of the year.
Top ranked US player Taylor Fritz also weighed in: “…also seeing more injuries and burnout now than ever before because balls, courts, conditions have slowed down a lot making the weekly grind even more physically demanding and tough on the body.”
The current structure pushes players to enter event after event to maintain rankings, protect points and earn prize money.
Even for the younger athletes like Rune and Draper, the wear and tear builds up fast. Muscle strains, shoulder issues and back problems seem common on the tour.
Injuries are going to happen… 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 apart of that, however, the tour and the calendar have to adapt if any of us are gonna…
— jack draper (@jackdraper0) October 18, 2025
What can change?
A few sensible ideas have floated around for years: shorten the season, extend the off-season or reduce the number of mandatory tournaments. Others have suggested a more regionalised calendar that limits long travel. These adjustments would help, but they require cooperation from many; ATP, WTA, ITF, tournament organisers, broadcasters etc.
Rune’s injury might just be another headline in a long list of physical setbacks on tour, but he truth is that the athletes are fitter than ever, but they’re also pushed harder than ever.
What is your take on this situation and what other solutions might be realistic for the near future?
