Iga Swiatek, currently ranked as the world’s No. 1 in women’s tennis, voiced her concerns about the demanding WTA schedule at the Cincinnati Open. Swiatek, who has won five titles this year including the French Open, criticized the congested calendar, stating that it makes tennis less enjoyable and is unsustainable for players.
“What can I say? I’ve been kind of an advocate in saying that we shouldn’t, I don’t know… be pushing and pushing for us to play more,” she told SkySports. “Obviously it is not our decision, but for sure I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It makes tennis less fun for us. Obviously I love playing in all these places, but it’s pretty exhausting. I don’t think it should be like that because we deserve to rest a little bit more. Maybe people are going to hate me for that.”
In response to Swiatek’s comments, former tennis star Yevgeny Kafelnikov sharply criticized her on social media. Kafelnikov, a two-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic gold medalist, suggested that Swiatek’s complaints were unwarranted and even argued that she should be paid less for expressing such views. His comments sparked controversy, highlighting the ongoing debate about the physical and mental demands placed on professional tennis players.
He posted on X: “Is someone pushing you to play ??? All you fricking do is complain!! I’ll tell you what you deserve ! You deserve to get paid a lot less than you do now!! How about that??”
Swiatek’s critique is not an isolated case; many players have expressed similar frustrations with the tennis calendar, which often leaves little room for rest. The pressure to maintain rankings and secure earnings forces players to compete in more tournaments than might be advisable for their health. This grueling schedule can lead to injuries and burnout, ultimately shortening careers.
Tennis journalist Bastien Fachan defended Swiatek: “She’s way more successful at 23 than you were in your entire career, sit this one out champ.”
One fan defended Swiatek by saying: “How can a former pro talk such sh*t. You should be ashamed of yourself. You can only dream of achieving what she already has. What she has said is 100% correct and speaking out is not complaining.”
Another user said: “There’s this thing called mandatory tournaments, and unless you have an injury, you have to or there are penalties. Taking a 0 on the points plus maybe even a fine. 6 WTA 500s, 10 WTA 1000s, and 4 GS is a lot. Even if they keep the 12 day 1000s, no 500s should be mandatory.”
Daria Kasatkina, another prominent player, came to Swiatek’s defense, pointing out the significant differences in earnings between past and present players.
