Tennis Tour Schedule Debate: Raducanu Says Top Players Shouldn’t Complain Excessively

Recently, Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open women’s singles champion, who is currently training in Barcelona, Spain, sparked discussion in an interview with The Guardian. She stated that the dense tennis schedule today offers substantial rewards for players, and top athletes should not complain or criticize it excessively.

“I don’t believe there’s anything in the WTA schedule worth complaining about; we have a good life thanks to this profession. Of course, it’s not always glamorous—sometimes it’s really tough, and both our bodies and minds get exhausted. If we refrain from complaining, we set a better example for those watching and aspiring young players. If they see all the top players constantly griping about the schedule, I think it’s hard to inspire them.”

Emma Raducanu

Photo: Huang Dishen

This season, Raducanu has competed in 50 main-draw singles matches on the WTA Tour, with a record of 28 wins and 22 losses. Her world ranking improved from No. 61 at the start of the year to No. 29 by year-end, earning a total of $1,450,476 in prize money. After withdrawing due to injuries in Wuhan and Ningbo in October, she skipped her planned appearances in Hong Kong and Tokyo, entering the off-season early. Compared to her previous seasons, this has been her most complete year in terms of participation.

“Overall, I have a positive attitude about this season. It’s the first year I’ve played so many tournaments and matches, and I’m proud of that. I’ve never really competed every week consecutively before; there were always long breaks. I’ve been trying to find the right rhythm for myself, and this year was another step in that process.” Raducanu will team up with Draper to start the 2026 season at the United Cup, marking her debut in this team event.

Sabalenka and Swiatek

Photo: Visual China

Discussions about the overly packed tennis calendar continue throughout the year. Last week, Swiatek announced plans to reduce her tournament schedule next year. “I’m considering skipping two events, probably those where I usually don’t perform well. I want to use that time to focus on training and refining technical details.” This year, Swiatek played in 81 main-draw WTA matches, winning three titles but also reaching many quarterfinals and semifinals. Her coach, Fissette, previously revealed that the team last had more than 10 consecutive days of training before Wimbledon, highlighting how players lack sufficient recovery time between events to stay fully fresh for the next tournament.

This year’s WTA year-end No. 1 Sabalenka faces similar challenges. She played 16 tournaments this season, reaching at least the quarterfinals in 12 of them and making nine finals. She said: “The schedule is really tight; they’re asking us to do something crazy because we’re human and can’t handle this intensity, like mandatory matches every week. The calendar is truly hectic, and we just try to manage our energy.” Notably, the current top four WTA players—Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff, and Anisimova—are all still penalized for not meeting WTA 500 event participation requirements.

Tennis Stars Discuss Tour Scheduling

Photo: Visual China

Male players Alcaraz and Sinner have also expressed concerns about the schedule. “Clearly, the calendar needs adjustment. We play too many events with almost no time to train or rest. Even mid-season, it’s week after week, and we don’t have time to properly prepare for the next tournament,” Alcaraz said in an interview.

Sinner added: “Everyone always has choices. The schedule has mandatory rules, but each person still has the freedom to choose. I pick what works best for me or what’s most beneficial. Last year, I skipped two or three tournaments because I felt it was necessary for my body. This year, I also skipped Toronto. Sometimes you just have to miss some events; there’s no other way.”

In a mid-November interview, Auger-Aliassime shared his perspective, saying those who don’t enjoy tennis lose the proper viewpoint: “I understand people get tired—I do too. I travel constantly and have seen different lifestyles worldwide. Honestly, we’re lucky and grateful enough. From my humble opinion, I wake up every day with gratitude, enjoying the moment and the chance to be here. Even if I lose a match, it’s okay; I might be upset for a day, but that’s it. I really can’t understand why anyone who wants to play fewer tournaments doesn’t just stay home. No one is forcing them to be here.”

The 2026 tennis tour calendar includes, on the ATP side, 9 ATP 1000 Masters events, 16 ATP 500 tournaments, and 30 ATP 250 competitions; on the WTA side, there are 10 WTA 1000 events, 17 WTA 500 tournaments, and 22 WTA 250 events. Besides the two-week Grand Slam tournaments, there are also seven ATP/WTA 1000 “Super 1000” events with 96-player draws lasting 12 days each.

(Written and edited by: Dato)