Iga Swiatek joins Elena Rybakina’s call for player-centric scheduling amidst grueling tournament demands

Swiatek underlined the need to put players' well-being first.

Iga Swiatek joins Elena Rybakina’s call for player-centric scheduling amidst grueling tournament demands

Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina (Credit: CNN)

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, speaking at the Western & Southern Open’s Media Day, continued the conversation about scheduling issues that recently left Elena Rybakina feeling “destroyed” during the National Bank Open. Swiatek underlined the need to put players’ well-being first, owing to the arduous nature of the tennis tour. She noted that the weather can be unpredictable. The Polish sensation advocated for a greater emphasis on healthy scheduling, particularly with the advent of more mandatory and longer events next year.

Elena Rybakina‘s quarterfinal at the National Bank Open was delayed many times due to weather, forcing her to play till 3 AM. After making it to the semifinals, she played two matches in one day, a difficulty that finalist Liudmila Samsonova also experienced.

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Swiatek had already mentioned this issue at the clay-court tournaments in Madrid and Rome, echoing Rybakina’s worries. She recalled playing matches that ended near or beyond midnight. While understanding the needs of broadcasters, Swiatek revealed her appeal to the WTA for late-night match audience figures, which went ignored.

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“During the clay season, in Rome and Madrid, I played four matches that finished close to or after midnight. Understand that we have to adjust to broadcasters and everything, but I also asked the WTA for some data to see if people are watching matches that start past 10PM. I didn’t get anything, but it would be easier to actually understand that it makes sense to play that late,” she said.

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Elena Rybakina and many players faced brutal losses due to scheduling woes

Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina (Credit: Tennis365)

During her post-match press conference, Rybakina was unequivocal in her criticism of the WTA‘s scheduling decisions. In light of multiple confusing events this year, especially at the Canadian Open, she lambasted the leadership as “a little bit weak,” pushing for change.

Rybakina’s quarter-final contest with Daria Kasatkina concluded shortly before 3 AM, leaving her with minimal time to recuperate before preparing for the upcoming match. The preceding game lasted for a duration of 3 hours and 27 minutes. The same situation was carried forward by her opponent and the eventual finalist of the tournament, Samsonova.

The event in Montreal reignited discussion about player-centric scheduling and the implications of weather-related disruptions. The attention shifts to the WTA’s response, with an emphasis on possible changes to protect players’ well-being and ease unhappiness.

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