Retirements from matches by professional tennis players have increased by 25% on the men's circuit and by 50% on the women's circuit in the last 25 years

The competitive season in professional tennis runs from January to December, requiring players to sustain peak athletic performance over long periods.The physical demands of the game, including high-intensity and explosive actions,, has gradually increased over the past few years, leading to a similar increase in the physical and mental demands made by tennis. Furthermore, and unlike other sports, tennis matches do not have a fixed time limit, which means that these physical and mental demands can lead to high levels of exhaustion. Over the last 25 years, this combination of factors has led to an increase in retirements from matches on the professional circuits as a result of injury or exhaustion, of at least 25% on the men's circuit (the ATP) and 50% on the women's circuit (the WTA).  

Three new epidemiological studies carried out by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers led by the doctors at the University of Barcelona's National Institute of Physical Education of Catalonia (INEFC) Ernest Baiget and Martí Casals, who is also a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), with Miguel Crespo (International Tennis Federation, ITF) and Jordi Cortés (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC), focus on retirements during matches across professional tournaments over more than four decades, and provide valuable data for the management and planning of sports events, and for optimising the training strategies of professional tennis players.  

There has been a significant increase in retirements on both the ATP and the WTA circuits since the 1990s. This increase has occurred in tandem with the increased intensity and density of the competition calendars. The data underscores the need to review players' rest and recovery plans as well as their training, in order to reduce the risk of retirements during matches.  

The research shows that retirements by professional players are influenced by specific aspects of the competitions, such as the playing surface, the type of tournament and the round. For example, retirements are more common on hard courts, as the accelerations and decelerations that take place during play are more sudden, and can lead to more injuries. The movements in tennis are short, and involve constant changes of direction (an average of approximately 2.5 changes per point), with constant accelerations and decelerations. 

The research also shows that in the top-level ATP and WTA tournaments, retirements by tennis players are more common in Masters 1000 tournaments on the ATP circuit and in WTA Premier tournaments, with rates of 1.03 retirements for men and 1.65 retirements for women for every 1,000 games played, compared to Grand Slam, ATP 250 and ATP 500 events. In second- and third-tier tournaments on the ATP and WTA circuits, men have a rate of 1.56 retirements per 1,000 games played, while the rate for women is 1.36. The overall rate of retirements in ATP and WTA tour tournaments is 0.87 for men, and 0.81 for women. Age also increases the risk of retirment among men, but has no relevant effect on women.  

Davis Cup 

In the Davis Cup, most retirements take place in the final matches of the series, particularly on hard courts, highlighting the effects that competitive pressure can have on retirements. Injuries to the lower limbs are the most common, with an incidence of 1.05 retirements per 1,000 games (less than for tournaments on the ATP and WTA circuits). These data provide very useful information for rethinking how team tournaments are managed.  

Another factor to consider is that according to a study of the Davis Cup, the rate of retirements for male players doubles every five years after they turn 27. In other words, a 32-year-old player has twice the likelihood of retiraments from a match compared to a 27-year-old. Taking these factors into account, researchers emphasize the need for personalized training and recovery strategies. They also highlight the importance of applying data science, statistical thinking, and epidemiology in tennis to design evidence-based strategies that could provide a competitive advantage. 

Implications for planning and management 

The findings of these studies can provide a guide for designing strategies that improve the health and performance of professional players. For example, its authors suggest that the ATP and the WTA give careful consideration to how many high-level competitions and/or matches a player can play every year without putting their health at risk. According to the INEFC researchers Ernest Baiget and Martí Casals, another factor to consider is that "when planning the competition calendar, consideration should be given to the period of time needed between major competitions, so that players can recover from the previous competition and prepare for the next one properly." The organisers should also schedule the various tournaments based on the playing surfaces in order to reduce the risk of retirements.  

Tournament organisers, coaches, physical trainers and health professionals should adapt their preparation, recovery and training plans to the conditions of the tournament and the individual characteristics of professional players in order to improve their well-being and their health. This consideration is particularly important today, when the physical demands of professional tennis continue to increase. 

Research on tennis and the future of research 

Tennis and racket sports in general are among the most widely followed competitive sports, and the most played in the field of health and recreation. This research, which covers a wide period of time, provides a comprehensive overview of retirements in competition matches, and offers a better understanding of some key factors that influence them. According to Baiget and Casals, "there is a growing need to collect more data and validated information systems on retirements in tennis and racquet sports, whether they are due to injury, illness or other factors." These data can shed light on less extensively studied aspects, and help in the development of more efficient prevention strategies.   

Looking to the future, researchers are exploring new areas that have not been studied before, such as the factors that influence walkovers and defaults, which are directly related to mental health—a crucial factor in professional tennis. They also plan to study retirements among other groups, such as young players or senior veterans. "We must advance scientific research in racquet sports," emphasize Baiget and Casals, stressing the need to improve conditions for practice both at the highest competitive level and for players who practice the sport to improve their health. 

The three studies that have been published have followed the Open Science standards, ensuring open access and data transparency. Researchers at institutions including the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia (UVic-UCC), the Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI), Marshall University and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles (USA) also participated in these studies.