Overview

• Carlos Alcaraz pulled out of the Shanghai Masters with physical issues days after winning Tokyo, saying the schedule is too tight.
• The China Open recorded five retirements in one day, and Daniil Medvedev later quit his semi-final against Learner Tien after struggling to move.
• Iga Swiatek said she may skip mandatory tournaments to protect her health, and Coco Gauff called the season too long to add more events.
• The WTA requires participation in all four majors, 10 WTA 1000s and six 500s, while some marquee events such as Shanghai have expanded to two-week formats.
• Opinions diverge, with Aryna Sabalenka sitting out Beijing with a small injury as Zheng Qinwen defended the workload even after retiring following a rushed return from elbow surgery.