Martina Navratilova brutally calls out tennis' off-season schedule: "No other sport does this"

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has taken a firm stand against the grueling tennis calendar. Navratilova also called out the ATP Tour's chairman, Andrea Gaudenzi, for his perceived lack of understanding regarding the players' need for a longer off-season.

The tennis calendar is considered busy due to the continuous stream of tournaments, exhibitions, and team events that players are expected to participate in. The ATP and WTA Tours feature numerous mandatory events, including Grand Slam tournaments, ATP Masters 1000, and WTA Premier Mandatory tournaments, which are spread throughout the year.

Additionally, players often participate in exhibition matches and team competitions, such as the Davis Cup and the Laver Cup, which further increases their workload.

On January 2, 2025, Navratilova took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her thoughts on the packed tennis schedule. She stated that the off-season is "way too short" and that no other sport imposes such a demanding schedule on its athletes.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion also sharply criticized Andrea Gaudenzi, the chairman of the ATP Tour, labeling him "clueless" for believing a single month of rest is sufficient for players to recover.

"Off-season is way too short, no other sport does this. The two-week events are rough. And Gaudenzi is clueless if he thinks a month off is enough," Martina Navratilova wrote.

Martina Navratilova is not alone in her criticism. Several top players, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Alexander Zverev, have raised their voices against the busy tennis calendar.

They argue that the lack of adequate rest and recovery time increases the risk of injuries and burnout, ultimately affecting their performance and longevity in the sport. The players have called for a more balanced schedule that allows for sufficient downtime between seasons.

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Pam Shriver and Thanasi Kokkinakis join Martina Navratilova in slamming tennis' short off-season

Pam Shriver during the 2024 US Open (Image source: Getty)

Pam Shriver and Thanasi Kokkinakis were taken aback by a statistic showing that the off-season between the 2024 and 2025 tennis seasons was a mere four days, seven hours, and 31 minutes. The 2024 season wrapped up with the Next Gen ATP Finals on December 22, while the 2025 season kicked off with the United Cup on December 27.

This extremely short break sparked criticism from players, journalists, and fans alike. Former World No. 3 Pam Shriver labeled it "pathetic," while men's World No. 77 Thanasi Kokkinakis sarcastically remarked on how "great" it must be for players' health.