“Completely extreme”: Karolina Muchova slams tennis calendar as unsustainable for top players

Karolina Muchova has concluded her 2025 season with a pointed critique of professional tennis's structural demands, characterizing the current calendar as "completely extreme." The former Roland Garros finalist, who spent much of the year navigating a return from wrist surgery, has added her voice to a growing collective of players dissatisfied with the tour's relentless pace.

Despite finishing the year inside the Top 20, Muchova described the scheduling requirements for top-tier athletes as unsustainable, noting that adhering to the rules without penalties essentially requires an eleven-month commitment without breaks. Muchova fully endorsed this sentiment, highlighting the mandatory nature of six WTA 500 events and all WTA 1000 tournaments—many of which have expanded to two-week formats. For a player attempting to manage physical limitations, the lack of flexibility is punishing.

Beyond the calendar itself, Muchova also took aim at the financial structure of the sport. While headline prize-money figures appear impressive, she argued they often conceal the reality of net earnings and revenue distribution. Citing reports that players receive between 12.5% and 20% of total tournament revenue, she said the compensation is low compared to other major sports.

“Tournaments are getting longer and longer; almost all Grand Slams now start on Sunday, which means an extra day of revenue for organisers,” Muchova told Forbes Czech Republic.

“Compared to other sports, our share is very low. People will read that the winner of the US Open earned five million dollars, but that represents one person out of two hundred, if you include the qualifiers. And in New York, where Carlos Alcaraz received such a prize this year, he won’t even be left with half of it. You pay taxes in the United States and at home—no one really sees the amount being quoted.”

The financial penalties for missing mandatory tournaments are steeper than public perception suggests, creating a system that punishes players even when they are physically unable to compete. Muchova revealed that fines correlate directly with ranking status, meaning the most successful players face the highest costs for protecting their health. She disclosed that a single missed WTA 500 event this year cost her a significant sum, a policy she finds particularly unjust given that it applies regardless of medical status.

"The higher you are in the ranking, the higher it is. When I didn't play a 'five hundred' tournament this year, it was fifteen thousand dollars. And I was ranked 16th at that time, which is already a considerable amount for players in the top five. Plus, you pay even if you get injured, as was my case."

Muchova also sought to demystify the astronomical prize money figures often touted in headlines following major events like the US Open. While the gross sums are impressive, the net income for players is drastically reduced by international taxation and the high overhead costs of a professional team.

"People will read that the winner of the US Open took home five million dollars, but that represents one person out of two hundred, if you add the qualifiers. And in New York, where Carlos Alcaraz received such a prize this year, he won't be left with even half. You pay taxes in the United States and at home; no one will really see the amount in question."

The relentless nature of the tour creates a "hamster wheel" effect where players fear stepping off the circuit lest they lose competitive relevance. Muchova argued that the obligation to constantly defend points and travel creates an environment where mental health inevitably suffers. She described the current ecosystem as one where health is treated as a secondary consideration rather than a fundamental priority. The Czech star emphasized that the expansion of the season is reaching a breaking point for human tolerance.

"It's mainly about how tennis is organized. As a player, you can't just step out of the tournament routine if you want to be competitive. You have to keep traveling, playing, defending points... a schedule this full is impossible to manage in the long term without it affecting health, especially mental health."