Imagine stepping onto the court at the Australian Open, not with the swagger of a champion, but with the quiet gratitude of someone who wasn't sure they'd ever play again. That's the reality for many tennis stars in 2026, and it speaks volumes about the grueling demands of the modern game.
The early days of the Australian Open often feel like the start of a new school year, brimming with fresh starts and boundless potential. Players return from their off-season – however brief – rejuvenated and eager to make their mark. While that spirit is definitely present this year, there's also a palpable sense of relief and thankfulness among many competitors.
During the first few rounds, it seemed like every other court hosted a player who had recently battled injury or illness, expressing a heartfelt appreciation for simply being back in action. These athletes, once sidelined and uncertain of their future, are now cherishing something they may have taken for granted earlier in their careers.
Take Stefanos Tsitsipas, for example. He spent the better part of last year grappling with a persistent back issue, a source of constant frustration and uncertainty. Then there's Grigor Dimitrov, who suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a heartbreaking Wimbledon quarterfinal against Jannik Sinner – an injury that ultimately required surgery. This marked his fifth retirement in five Grand Slams, a truly devastating run.
Karolína Muchová also knows the sting of premature exits. She retired from three of her final eight matches in 2025, but has found a measure of stability, albeit with a wrist that still requires careful management. The list goes on: Paola Badosa (back), Tommy Paul (shoulder, adductor, ruptured foot tendon), Hubert Hurkacz (torn meniscus), Sloane Stephens (foot stress fracture), Shang Juncheng (bone spur and foot stress fracture), and Ben Shelton (shoulder strain).
Each of these athletes has faced a moment of reckoning, a point where they questioned their ability to return to their previous form – or even to play professionally at all. "Results don’t even matter to me," Tsitsipas confessed during a pre-tournament press conference. "What matters is training properly and not feeling pain and not being bothered by anything." He even contemplated a life without tennis during the depths of his back problems.
But here's where it gets controversial... Is the relentless schedule partly to blame for this surge in injuries? The 2025 season, the second year of the expanded 12-day ATP and WTA 1000 tournaments (just below the Grand Slams), took a heavy toll. Many players openly discussed the mental and physical exhaustion caused by the demanding calendar. The Asian swing, in particular, became a grueling test of endurance, with top players skipping events, retiring mid-match, or withdrawing altogether.
The tours maintain that player welfare is a priority, citing the inclusion of days off between matches. However, players argue that these brief respites are insufficient compared to the benefits of extended rest periods. According to the Professional Tennis Players Association, player withdrawals reached a multi-decade high last season.
"Prior injury is the strongest predictor of future injury, so health and safety should be the number one priority across all of tennis," emphasized Dr. Robby Sikka, the PTPA's medical director.
All these recovering players are banking on having discovered the formula to defy the odds. The first key step for each of them was accepting the need to step away, rest, and heal.
The road to recovery hasn't been smooth for everyone. Sloane Stephens, after battling through qualifying, suffered a first-round loss to Karolína Plíšková, who herself endured a year-long absence due to a freak ankle injury requiring two surgeries after an infection. Dimitrov, after six months of rebuilding, was defeated in the first round by Tomáš Macháč, grappling with wrist pain despite having declared himself fit. Tsitsipas reported a freak injury before the tournament and another during his second-round loss to the same opponent. Hurkacz and Shang also exited in the second round. The reality is that top-tier tennis players can't be fully revitalized in a single day or even an off-season.
Talking openly about health can be a minefield for players. As Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, admitted last week, one of the things he missed least about his career was having to feign perfect health while battling constant pain from accumulated injuries.
"It's a tricky situation, especially because it's something that is always going to be there," explained Badosa, a former world No. 2, regarding her ongoing back issues. She only managed to play 32 matches last year, with just three after Wimbledon in July. Flare-ups can occur unpredictably, even when she's striking the ball well. "I just have to accept it." This curtailed season allowed her a longer preseason of around 10 weeks – significantly more than the typical four to seven weeks starting in November or December. Badosa's primary goal is to fortify her body against future injuries.
She's not alone in prioritizing health over purely technical improvements. Muchová, known for her chronic wrist problems and frequent use of leg strapping, has become meticulous about her post-match routine: 10 minutes on the bike, an ice bath (up to her waist, as she dislikes going deeper), and 30 minutes of stretching. While she finds the ice bath unpleasant, it seems to be working, as she advanced to the third round. However, she's fully aware of the ever-present risk of setbacks.
Five days into the tournament, Tommy Paul might be the frontrunner for the best physical recovery award. The 28-year-old is moving freely around the court, retrieving balls from difficult positions, and showcasing the all-court game that makes him a formidable opponent for almost anyone in the world.
Paul, a 2023 Australian Open semifinalist, briefly cracked the top 10 around this time last year, before an eight-month battle with his body began. He played through a strange shoulder tear at last year's Australian Open, reaching the quarterfinals before losing a match he arguably should have won against Alexander Zverev. While the shoulder improved, other minor injuries plagued him until early May, when he began experiencing strains and pulls in his midsection. He faced Carlos Alcaraz at the French Open, a matchup usually filled with excitement. However, Alcaraz easily defeated an injured Paul.
Then, at Wimbledon, he suffered a ruptured tendon in his foot. Despite this, he somehow managed to play two five-set matches at the U.S. Open, ultimately losing the second to Alexander Bublik after winning a grueling fourth-set tiebreak that exhausted his body.
In hindsight, Paul believes he should have skipped Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. "There were, like, four matches I played the whole year where I wasn’t in pain, which was ridiculous," he admitted before the current tournament. "There’s only so much that you can really skip if you want to keep your ranking up."
When he finally stopped playing at the end of the summer, he spent a few weeks resting on his couch in Florida. Upon resuming training, his first priority was rebuilding muscle strength in his legs and core, and restoring mobility to his knees and hips.
Regaining his stamina proved challenging, as it required cardio exercises. However, the most effective cardio activities, such as running, are high-impact, increasing the risk of re-injury. Low-impact cardio, like cycling or pool running, takes longer and is less sport-specific than court sprints.
"A lot of long days," he summarized.
Stephens, the 2017 U.S. Open champion, spent 11 months wishing she could have those long days of training. She wore a boot to protect a stress fracture in her foot for three months, limiting her activity significantly. "It was either that or surgery, and surgery would have been a career-ender," she revealed after her first-round loss to Pliskova. She had to fight through four rounds to even get there, including three in qualifying, as she didn't receive a wild card, unlike veterans like Stan Wawrinka, 40, and Venus Williams, 45. "Only Grand Slam champion in qualifying," Stephens pointed out, with a hint of frustration.
Hubert Hurkacz, while not a Grand Slam champion, also didn't have to go through qualifying. He did enjoy a remarkable comeback at the United Cup, defeating world No. 3 Alexander Zverev and No. 9 Taylor Fritz, both of whom have also openly discussed managing injuries (Zverev) or long-term conditions (Fritz, with knee tendonitis) throughout the past year.
For Hurkacz, the most important thing was simply being back on the court. "Just grateful to be back," Hurkacz said. "I will never take my health for granted again."
This sentiment is becoming increasingly prevalent in the tennis world, with numerous prominent players sidelined for extended periods. Jack Draper, who has barely played since Wimbledon, continues to delay his return from a bone bruise in his playing elbow. Holger Rune is dedicating the year to recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon and the subsequent surgery.
Shelton, whose last Grand Slam ended with a tearful retirement on his home court in New York City due to what he described as "the worst pain he'd ever felt," learned that he had avoided structural damage after a quick scan. Witnessing the injuries plaguing his friends and peers while recovering at home last September, he experienced a sense of gratitude. "Everything isn’t perfect, but that’s how it always is. And if you’re not doing well here at the beginning of the year, you’re, you’re in trouble the next 11 months," he told reporters.
He empathizes with Federer's perspective but insists that he genuinely feels good. "Our tour has been riddled with injuries the last couple of years," Shelton observed. "So I feel very lucky."
And this is the part most people miss... The mental toll of constantly battling injuries can be just as devastating as the physical pain. These players aren't just recovering from physical ailments; they're also rebuilding their confidence and mental fortitude. It takes immense courage and resilience to step back onto the court after facing uncertainty about your career.
What do you think? Is the current tennis schedule too demanding, pushing players to their breaking points? Or is this simply an inherent risk of professional sports, and players need to adapt and prioritize their health more effectively? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Does the pressure to maintain rankings outweigh the need for sufficient rest and recovery? Let's discuss.
