Former world number four announces she won’t play until 2025 after saying she let tennis ‘consume’ her…

With scheduling complaints piling up against the ATP and WTA Tour’s, another player has called an end to her 2024 season early.

The conclusion of the US Open often gives rise to debate over the intense schedule players are subject to enduring.

With champions Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner having taken prolonged periods off to recover from their New York exploits, the relentless calendar is affecting those right at the top of the game.

The Asian swing has already kicked off with a WTA-1000 event in Beijing, meaning there has been little respite for players hoping for a less intense end to 2024.

Tournaments like the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup are still to come as those on both circuits begin their grind before the short winter break.

For one top WTA player however, the unrelenting demands of the tour have started to weigh too heavy, prompting her to bring about a premature end to the season.

Caroline Garcia laments ‘toxic’ season and sets comeback for 2025
France’s former world number four Caroline Garcia did not make it past the second round of a singles Grand Slam event this year, most recently losing to Renata Zarazua in the opening round of the US Open.

As well as dealing with a shoulder injury, the world number 36 had admitted she’s also been suffering from the mental toll of life on tour.

In an emotional Instagram post, Garcia wrote: “Guadalajara marked the end of my 2024 season. It wasn’t an easy decision, because in tennis, every week off feels like falling behind-losing ranking points and “missing” opportunities. But I know this is the right call to come back stronger in 2025 and fight for those big moments again.”