Tennis Facing Burnout Danger

Novak Djokovic
Image used for representation only

Rafael Nadal out, Novak Djokovic out and Andy Murray out. Such a roll call at the Australian Open has sent the alarm bells ringing.

With three of the top four players gone, the tournament has certainly lost its sheen.After his exit, Nadal urged the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) to review its schedule as it is taking toll on many of the tour players.

He said that too many players are getting injured due to the tight schedule as recovery time in minimal. There is a life beyond tennis too, he added. Other players have also urged a cutback in the amount of tennis being played but it has fallen on deaf ears so far.

The case of Djokovic is indeed sad. He had a miserable time last year before pulling out with an elbow injury. He made a comeback this year after a long layoff and was getting into his stride. However, the elbow injury resurfaced and he faces a long layoff again.

The ATP must listen to the players. There are too many tournaments being played all over the world and this will prove detrimental in the long run to the game itself.

There will be an overkill of tennis and many of the top draws in the game will get injured at some point or the other leading to events losing star value. Last year at least five big names dropped out of the US Open due to one injury or the other. Furthermore relentlessly playing on hard or clay courts is affecting the body structure and muscles of the player leading to health breakdowns.

Racket technology has also advanced, allowing players to hit the ball harder and this proves an additional stress to the system.

Of course, the advanced tennis rackets are great for professionals as they can be far more competitive when playing. More can be read about the advancements on sites like https://www.hardballwarriors.com/4-sports-that-have-benefitted-from-technology/. During a game, a player faces different surfaces, ball trajectories and speeds which put him/her through a lot of physical stress.

Players will be taught by their coaches, (who they may have been connected with after trying to find my tennis rating), on how to deal with the different surfaces, ball trajectories, and speeds. Regardless of how much practice they take part in, it can still have an effect on their bodies and the stress that comes with it.

After every game, the player has to restore his body through fluid and other vital replacements, cold baths, compression garments and massage to be ready for the next match. The player has to adapt his game often too as taking part on a hard court one tournament and clay in the next needs different skills. With the game changing its pace on different surfaces, it can take a physical toll on the player. Many of them may try to manage the pain with an Elbow Compression Sleeve to give them some support as they are training or playing, but this cannot be used as a permanent fix.

This means the players are always on a recuperation mode after every event and they hardly get time for proper recovery. Sometimes they rush back before they are fully recovered and get injured again. Elite events like the four majors, where players love to showcase their skills, will be hit hard. They must sit together with the players and work out a schedule agreeable to both sides.

Save the game now before it is too late.

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#This column is being published a day in advance i.e. Thursday in view of the Friday issue being devoted to special content to commemorate our Republic Day, 26th January.

Babu Kalyanpur
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