6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts as she competes against Taylor Townsend, of the United States, during the fourth round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Sunday, Sept.
The world No.1 joined Carlos Alcaraz in speaking out about the workload during the US Open, with the Spaniard revealing that he intends to start taking longer breaks and skipping tournaments rather than attempting to play every required event. The tennis calendar has become an increasingly contentious issue in recent years, with players facing mandatory commitments at WTA 1000 level as well as requirements to compete in WTA 500 events depending on their ranking and eligibility. There are 10 WTA 1000 tournaments on the 2026 calendar, several of which have been expanded to 12-day formats, adding to the number of weeks elite players are required to spend competing at the highest level. The current structure requires top-ranked players to compete at the mandatory WTA 1000 events, while players can also have obligations at the WTA 500 level. On the men’s side, Alcaraz faces a similarly packed schedule involving the mandatory Masters events and selected 500 tournaments. She has spent 99 consecutive weeks as world No.1, but reaching 100 weeks is not guaranteed. For Sabalenka, the same principle applies to the possibility of losing the No.1 ranking.
Because it’s impossible to play them all, “Maybe not four months, but one month, two months, missing some tournaments,.
“I want to have the breaks that I need to prepare the tournaments, to have the time to prepare the tournaments, to miss the tennis, to miss the tour, to miss you guys,” Alcaraz said. “I would love to see changes to the calendar and eliminate the mandatory events to let the players decide what’s best for their health,” Sabalenka said. “If they’re not going to reduce it, we’ll have to sacrifice points, ranking position, whatever it takes, to protect our bodies,” she said. Despite the significance of the milestone, Sabalenka said she is trying not to become consumed by rankings projections or outside speculation. “I completely separate myself from that because it’s just like guessing,” she said. “The situation is under my control for now, so I’m just trying to control what I can,” she said.
Aryna Sabalenka has called on the WTA and ATP to scrap mandatory tournaments altogether, warning that players may have to sacrifice ranking points and positions if the increasingly demanding tennis calendar is not eased. Sabalenka went a step further, arguing that players should have greater control over their schedules so they can protect their bodies. Missing mandatory tournaments can also carry financial and ranking-point consequences, making it harder for players to simply take time away from competition when they feel they need to recover. Alcaraz raised the issue after reaching the third round of the US Open, saying he wants to take more time away from the sport rather than allow the schedule to dictate his entire season. “I think that’s really important. Sabalenka backed the sentiment but believes the solution should go further than simply allowing individual players to skip the occasional event. She acknowledged how difficult it is to maintain the intensity required at the top of the sport across such a long season. “It’s been incredibly intense. Especially if you play at the level Carlos plays, which is basically very consistent, it’s very hard on the body. Sabalenka then issued a warning about what could happen if the tours refuse to reduce the demands. “I think it would be really helpful for the WTA and ATP to relax the calendar a bit for us in order to truly support our health. Sabalenka’s comments come as she approaches a significant milestone at the top of the women’s rankings. The Belarusian must successfully defend her US Open title to retain her position, while a strong run from Elena Rybakina could prevent her from extending her reign. Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff could also enter the race for the top ranking, depending on how far they progress at the final Grand Slam of the season. “I’m just trying to bring my best tennis every time I’m competing out there and basically fight for it. She added that social media constantly produces new statistics and predictions, but she prefers to stay away from them. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines “There’s always different statistics that social media brings. So I’m just completely away trying to stay away from it. “When it’s no longer in my hands, it will no longer be in my hands. Why would I even think about it? Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
“In the future, I’m going to take some breaks, some long breaks,” Alcaraz said. The Spaniard, who was competing at his first tournament in four and a half months at the US Open, also made clear that he expects to miss more tournaments in the future.