The outcry has been varied in that some have resorted to rare outbursts to lash out at the WTA calendar. Some have been vocal consistently about the grueling schedule laid out by the organizers, who seemed to be only thinking about the revenue and not the players’ well-being. The ten mandatory WTA 1000s and six WTA 500s have pushed the players to the brink. And Taylor Townsend just gave us a glimpse of how hectic it can get.

The Doubles World No. 2 is getting ready for the Kinoshita Group Japan Open in Osaka, which will be held from October 13 to 19. But the American planned to land much earlier to get acclimatized to the weather. We have already seen how the harsh, hot, and humid conditions in Wuhan, and Shanghai have become a test for the players, many being forced to retire from the tournaments. Such has been the ordeal.

So, Townsend wanted to give herself some time. Taking to Instagram, she shared a story on October 7, narrating her schedule. The caption read, “Tennis travel life 🙏🏽😱: “Okay, so it’s like one-something in the morning. My flight is at nine o’clock in the morning to leave to go to Japan. So I’m just gonna try and pull an all-nighter,” the 29-year-old shared. She further continued, “The timing is super weird, cause we, like, fly all day and then we land, like, the next day at like 9 p.m. So I’m gonna do my best to try and, like, stay up and not sleep so that I can sleep on the plane.”

Across the world travel is no easy feat. It’s not just the difference in countries, but also time zones. An average human being battles with jet-lag for at least a few days during which their body has to readjust sleep cycles according to circadian rhythms. For Taylor Townsend, this kind of manoeuvre becomes a challenging necessity. And she has previously shared how difficult it is to balance a successful tennis career and being a full-time mom. It’s like leading a double life. And WTA doesn’t make it easy with their planning.

In another one of her Instagram stories in August, she shared, “I am so tired, I would be thinking Oh my god, it would be so amazing to go home. This is how I look, my allergies are kicking my A– like what is a ragweed? Never seen one of those. I have six and seven baskets of laundry, and yeah, just, oh my god. Like, I would be so lost when I am gone for like, I need a hotel, like quiet.”

She had shared how she doesn’t even get time to unpack from her journeys. Being mindful of the language is out the window. “Me trying to keep my s— together after 7 weeks on the road, 5 countries, and 5 time zones,” she said previously. This is what tennis has become for the players: being run ragged for entertainment and the riches. And the casualties are piling up.

Taylor Townsend is not the only one reeling

Let’s see what kind of challenge the Osaka Open brings. The Asian swing has already left an indelible mark that will definitely bring the stakeholders to the table. Aryna Sabalenka, for one, didn’t even think about doing it all. After the US Open win, she decided to sit out the China Open. Yes, she is in the Wuhan Open, but Amanda Anisimova and Emma Raducanu aren’t.

Anisimova has pulled out with a left calf injury. But Raducanu is a casualty of the sweltering heat that left her dizzy, unable to breathe, and in a scary state. The Wuhan Open has even seen play being suspended to let the heat subside. The mandatory participation regulations have forced this – if the choice were left up to players, they would have skipped participation because these are not ideal conditions.

In fact, Anisimova’s good run this season had a fan pointing out how she had sat out the Tour when she was feeling burnt out. World No. 19 Daria Kasatkina just ended her season after the China Open with a damning message on Instagram Story. “Truth is, I’ve hit a wall and I can’t continue. I need a break,” the Australian wrote. “A break from the monotonous daily grind of life on the tour, the suitcases, the results, the pressure, the same faces (sorry girls), everything that comes with this life. The schedule is too much, mentally and emotionally. I am at a breaking point, and sadly, I am not alone.”

Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek had both complained that it’s impossible to play so many tournaments, especially after the WTA had even lengthened the duration of the tournaments. January to November, 11 months – tennis has the longest season, and it has always been one of the most physically taxing sports.

Medical timeouts have been a frequent sight in this Asian swing. The China Open saw 12 retirements, across the WTA and ATP, way more than the average number. If this isn’t an indication that some leniency has to be shown by the governing bodies, we don’t know what is.