The rising tension ahead of the Australian Open and how tennis found itself in a mess

Jack Draper, the British No 1 and Indian Wells champion, has criticised the expansion of the tennis season - (Getty)

In the final weeks of the 2025 tennis season, it seemed as if so many of the sport’s issues were colliding to paint the picture of one unhappy mess. As players melted in Shanghai, Holger Rune asked, “Do you want a player to die on the court?”, stunned by the lack of a heat rule on the ATP Tour. It made for some dramatic headlines, but reflected how several off-court topics dominated the agenda after September’s US Open. Iga Swiatek was critical of the mandatory requirements of WTA tournaments, calling the season “too long and too intense” as several players cut their campaigns short, citing burnout. “Mentally and emotionally I am at breaking point and sadly I am not alone,” said Daria Kasatkina.

At the same time, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka went on record, on behalf of a group of leading players from the men’s and women’s top 10s, in calling for more prize money from the grand slam tournaments and criticising the lack of progress in discussions on player welfare. The 22-year-old Rune, who was making a late push for the ATP Finals, tore his achilles tendon, a horrific injury that sparked further concern around the tennis calendar and led to Jack Draper being particularly vocal in calling for change, as the British No 1 continues to nurse his own left arm injury.