John Isner thinks the tennis offseason is "so overrated" as established players don't really need that much to prepare themselves for a new season, unlike the new players who are just starting on the Tour.
When players complain about the schedule, they usually argue that no sport in the world has such a long and demanding season. Also, they often argue that there is basically no offseason in tennis since the season ends in the 11 month and the new season starts in January.
Isner, who played on the Tour between 2007 and 2023, suggests some of the complaints made by the players are too much. However, the 2018 Wimbledon semifinalist did acknowledge that for the younger players, it is probably not ideal to have just a couple of weeks between two seasons.
Isner's 'controversial' take: The offseason is so overrated
“This might be a controversial take, but the offseason is so overrated. Especially once you’ve sort of established yourself, when you get to your late 20s, you’re not re-inventing the wheel, you just need to maintain and keep yourself healthy. Obviously, be really professional, but you don’t need to absolutely kill yourself during the course of three weeks. Work hard, sleep well, eat well, and just get ready for the next year," Isner said on the Nothing Major Show.
“If you’re 20 and you’re new on tour, yes, you need to get your body stronger. At the beginning of your career, the offseason is very important to get that base, but once you’ve established yourself, it’s about maintaining and keeping things smooth, taking care of yourself. Treatment becomes just as important as the gym work.”
On the ATP Tour, the 2025 season officially concluded on November 23rd when Italy beat Spain in the Davis Cup final. The WTA season finished a week earlier.
However, it should be noted that some of the best players in the game opted to skip the Davis Cup Final 8 in Bologna, while the WTA year for the majority of the top players came to an end after they finished their WTA Finals campaign.
