A spate of mid-match retirements at the ATP and WTA China Open on Monday has intensified scrutiny of the sport’s demanding calendar. Five of the day’s 12 scheduled matches ended prematurely, highlighting ongoing concerns about player welfare and the long-term sustainability of the tennis season.
Player discontent over the tour’s structure, particularly the length of the off-season and increased mandatory event requirements on the WTA Tour, was central to a lawsuit filed by the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) in March. That frustration was on full display in Beijing, where three of eight women’s matches and two of four men’s matches were cut short.
On the women’s side, home favorite Zheng Qinwen retired in the third set against Linda Nosková. Camila Osorio withdrew after losing the first set 6-0 to world No. 2 Iga Świątek, and Loïs Boisson retired early in the second set of her match against Emma Navarro. The previous day, Paula Badosa and Barbora Krejčíková also had to retire. In the men’s draw, Jakub Menšík lasted just five games against Alex de Minaur, while Lorenzo Musetti pulled out trailing 3-0 in the third set against Learner Tien.
The rate of attrition was a dramatic increase from the historical average of 1.92 percent for tour-level retirements, according to a 2024 study.
After her opponent’s withdrawal, Świątek told reporters she may be forced to defy tour rules to protect her health. “WTA with all these mandatory rules, they made this pretty crazy for us,” she said. “I may have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory… I don’t think any top player will actually be able to achieve this, playing the six 500 tournaments. It’s just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule.”
A WTA spokesperson stated that “athlete welfare is always a top priority” and noted that the new rules on mandatory events have helped secure a $400 million increase in player compensation. The organization added, “We listen closely to players’ views on the tennis calendar… After full consultation with representatives of players and tournaments, we made improvements to our circuit structure in 2024.” The WTA confirmed the calendar is always under review.
Since last season, the WTA Tour has featured 10 mandatory 1000-level events, including the China Open, and requires top players to compete in six 500-level tournaments. Both Świątek and Aryna Sabalenka failed to meet that requirement last year, resulting in the loss of ranking points that contributed to Sabalenka briefly overtaking Świątek for the world No. 1 ranking.
Dr. Robby Sikka, the PTPA’s medical director, attributed the rise in retirements to a combination of factors. He noted that end-of-season fatigue is a natural cause but added, “The competition level is more fierce than ever… you’re seeing athletes across all sports improving, developing, and pushing physical limits. This is some of the natural risk when you combine increasing velocity and power with end-of-season fatigue.”
The grueling schedule continues unabated. Following the men’s final on Wednesday, the tour moves to the Shanghai Masters. The women’s China Open concludes Sunday, with the Wuhan Open—another mandatory WTA 1000 event—beginning the next day.
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