The tennis world is abuzz as a heated debate over the sport’s grueling schedule and changing playing conditions intensifies, with top stars and rising talents alike voicing concerns about player health and the future of the tour. Recent weeks have seen a cascade of high-profile injuries and outspoken commentary from some of the game’s biggest names, thrusting the issues of match frequency, surface speed, and ball selection into the global spotlight.
It all began to boil over when British number one Jack Draper took to social media following Holger Rune’s devastating Achilles tendon injury in Stockholm. Draper, echoing the frustrations of many in the locker room, wrote, “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 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…” This candid admission struck a chord across the tennis community, especially as Rune’s season-ending injury underscored the physical toll exacted by the relentless calendar.
American number one Taylor Fritz, currently ranked world number four, didn’t hesitate to jump into the conversation. Fritz, who has developed a reputation for his thoughtful analysis and willingness to speak out, responded directly to Draper: “Facts, 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.” According to Fritz, it’s not just the sheer number of matches or tournaments, but also the evolving nature of the game’s equipment and surfaces that’s exacerbating the problem.
Fritz’s comments have reverberated throughout the tennis world, with several other players and commentators weighing in. The American elaborated on his stance, explaining that the distinction between ball speed and court speed is often misunderstood, even among professionals. “Balls make a much bigger difference on how fast the court plays than the actual court speed. Shanghai last year had a very high CPI, but the slow balls we used made it play slow. This year, the balls were still slow, and they also slowed the courts, and it was brutal. I can say with certainty every ball we play with consistently, with the exception of the US Open ball that is used for Toronto, Cincinnati, US Open, is much slower and more dead compared to when I started my career,” Fritz shared in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter).
He continued, “A lot of people struggle to differentiate between slow ball / slow court. It’s only something I have picked up in recent years. It’s easy to play with a slow ball and just think the court is slow when maybe it’s not and vice versa. A good example of this is that I heard someone play tested the ball for Shanghai prior to the Shanghai event and said it was a fast ball, and that is one of the reasons Shanghai slowed the court down. I can assure you whoever play tested the ball did so on a lightning-fast court and couldn’t differentiate the two so they thought the ball was fast.”
Fritz’s perspective is supported by tennis legend Roger Federer, who recently suggested that court speeds have been intentionally slowed down, perhaps to favor the playing styles of stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Alexander Zverev, world number three, echoed these sentiments, adding further fuel to the ongoing debate. Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek, the world’s top-ranked woman, has labeled the WTA Tour’s schedule as “crazy,” and Carlos Alcaraz described it as “really tight” with too many mandatory tournaments. Even Coco Gauff has joined the chorus, expressing concern about how the demanding calendar might impact her career longevity.
The numbers seem to back up these worries. The 2025 season has already seen a spate of injuries to top players, with Holger Rune’s Achilles rupture serving as a particularly stark warning. “The evidence shows that we are seeing more injuries and mental fatigue than ever because the balls, courts, and conditions, in general, have greatly worsened. The weekly effort is much more demanding and difficult for the body,” Fritz stated on October 20, 2025. He pointed out that the physical and mental demands of longer rallies—driven by slower balls and courts—may make for entertaining television but are taking a heavy toll on athletes who compete nearly year-round.
As the debate rages, Fritz has also been quick to clarify that his remarks are not a complaint about how the conditions affect his own results. “There's nowhere where you will find me complaining about how the conditions hurt my game. I am having the most successful years of my career in the current conditions. That's why you should understand there is no bias when I am simply stating what you are also stating, balls and court conditions are slower, and that is contributing to more injuries. That is all, that is my entire point,” he concluded in a follow-up post.
Fritz’s willingness to speak openly has sparked a broader discussion about the direction of the sport. Many players have echoed his call for organizers to reconsider the balance between entertainment value and athlete welfare. The general deceleration of the game, while perhaps pleasing to fans who enjoy longer rallies, may not be sustainable for those expected to perform at peak levels for eleven months each year. “In today’s extensive calendar, there should be room for all types of conditions, yet there is a general deceleration of the game that has been interpreted as more entertainment for fans due to longer rallies. However, this might not always be viable for players competing at an increasingly demanding level for eleven months a year,” Fritz argued.
Meanwhile, the ATP’s new rules on mandatory event participation have added another layer of complexity. Fritz noted, “Ya because of a new ATP rule I’ve had to play every 500 event post Wimbledon to meet the new quota they have set of 500’s played in a year to not get a ranking penalty.” This push to ensure top players appear at more tournaments has only intensified concerns about overwork and injury risk.
Despite all the off-court drama, Fritz continues to compete at the highest level. After securing a third-place finish at the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh—albeit via a walkover after Novak Djokovic retired with injury—he now turns his attention to the Basel Open. His first-round opponent will be Valentin Vacherot, the Monaco native who stunned the tennis world by winning the Shanghai Masters as the lowest-ranked qualifier ever to capture a Masters 1000 title. Should Fritz advance, he’ll face either Sebastian Korda or Ugo Humbert in the next round.
As the tennis world waits to see how these crucial matches unfold, the larger questions about player health, scheduling, and the future of the sport remain front and center. With stars like Taylor Fritz leading a frank and necessary conversation, the hope is that meaningful change may be on the horizon—before more careers are cut short by the very game they love.
