World number one Aryna Sabalenka has made it clear she will not sacrifice her health to satisfy what she believes is an unforgiving and overcrowded tennis calendar, even if it means fines or ranking-point penalties from the WTA Tour.
Speaking after her win over Sorana Cirstea at the Brisbane International, the four-time Grand Slam champion said she expects to skip tournaments again this season, despite knowing she is likely to face sanctions under WTA rules. Sabalenka described the length and intensity of the season as “insane” and warned that it is taking a growing toll on players’ bodies.
Under current WTA regulations, top players are required to compete in all four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 tournaments and at least six WTA 500 events. Missing mandatory tournaments can result in penalties ranging from fines to deductions in ranking points. Sabalenka felt the impact of those rules in 2025, when she played only three WTA 500 events- Brisbane, Stuttgart and Berlin- and was docked points as a result. World number two Iga Swiatek was among several other high-profile players similarly punished.
“The season is definitely insane, and that’s not good for all of us,” Aryna Sabalenka said. “You see so many players getting injured.”
Despite enjoying consistent results last year, Aryna Sabalenka revealed that her performances often came at a significant physical cost. She admitted to competing while sick or completely exhausted, simply to keep up with the demands of the calendar.
“Some of the tournaments I had been playing completely sick, or I was really exhausted from overplaying,” she said. “This season we will try to manage it a little bit better, even though they are going to fine me by the end of the season.”
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The Belarusian acknowledged that the rules leave players with limited flexibility, particularly when it comes to the highest-tier events. “You cannot skip WTA 1000 events. It’s really tricky, and I think that’s insane what they do,” she said. “They follow their interests, but they’re not focusing on protecting all of us.”
Aryna Sabalenka also pointed to other contributing factors, including heavy tennis balls and the near year-round nature of the tour, which stretches across 11 months. The strain of the calendar has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly during demanding stretches such as the Asian swing late in the season, when injuries have mounted across both the men’s and women’s tours.
Her comments echo growing frustration among the sport’s biggest names. Swiatek has previously described the schedule as “too intense,” while men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz has warned that the current structure risks burning players out at an early age. Many stars now peak and decline earlier than in previous generations, a trend often linked to the relentless physical demands of modern tennis.
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Also Read: 2026 WTA Tour Calendar: List Of Events In Women’s Tennis
The WTA has said athlete welfare is a top priority and has insisted it has consulted players and their representatives in recent efforts to adjust the calendar and improve compensation. However, Aryna Sabalenka’s remarks suggest that, from the players’ perspective, those changes have not gone far enough.
Despite her concerns, Aryna Sabalenka has begun the season strongly in Brisbane and remains one of the favourites for the Australian Open, where she is chasing a third title in four years. Still, she insists that success will no longer come at any cost.
“I’m still skipping a couple of events to protect my body,” she said. “That’s non-negotiable.”
As more leading players voice similar concerns, pressure may continue to mount on tennis’s governing bodies to reconsider a schedule that many believe is pushing the sport’s biggest stars to the brink.
