Tough scheduling takes toll on top players

NEW YORK - Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka have reputations for being supreme athletes, but a grueling season that offers little time to recover has left them among a number of big-name tennis stars who will be missing from the US Open with injuries.

Despite medical advances and a greater understanding by the players of how their bodies work, there is little down time for anyone who wants to be a regular competitor during the ATP and WTA seasons, which last approximately 11 and 10 months, respectively.

"Most of the injuries in tennis are what are classified as overuse," Todd Ellenbecker, the ATP's vice-president of medical services, said in an email interview.