Elena Rybakina after beating Daria Kasatkina in Montreal at 3 in the morning: “I’m destroyed guys. Thank you for staying so late. It’s really amazing you supported us..” Crowd goes WILD. Match of the tournament.
New ATP and WTA scheduling rule changes made after player complaints during 2023 season with review into tennis balls also underway
Tennis NewsTuesday, 09 January 2024 at 23:00
The ATP and WTA are set to change the regulations to address issues with tournament schedules, and they will also evaluate ball changes in each tournament following complaints from several players throughout the 2023 season.
Firstly, there is now a limit of no more than five matches per day per court, starting at 11 a.m. Three matches will be scheduled during the daytime session, while the nighttime session will consist of two matches.
Some players who experienced problems with the schedules and openly expressed their dissatisfaction include 3-times Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and the world No. 3, Elena Rybakina. It is emphasized that no match can start after 11 p.m., unless approved by the WTA/ATP supervisor in consultation with the management of both organizations. Matches that have not started by 10:30 p.m. will be moved to an alternate court, ensuring adherence to the schedule.
Furthermore, nighttime sessions must now begin no later than 7:30 p.m., with a recommendation to start as early as 6:30 p.m. This is intended to offer a more player- and spectator-friendly schedule, optimizing the overall tournament experience. Regarding tennis balls, a strategic review of those used in the circuits is underway, and any resulting changes will be implemented no later than 2025.
Players who complained about the regulations
At the beginning of the year, Andy Murray emerged victorious in an epic match against Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Australian Open, concluding with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 at 4:05 a.m., after five hours and 45 minutes. Following the match, the former world No. 1 expressed his discontent with the schedule, stating, "We talk about it all the time, and it's been spoken about for years. But when you start the night matches late and have conditions like that, these things are going to happen."
On another note, Rybakina competed in the August Canadian Open against Daria Kasatkina, engaging in a marathon match that lasted three hours and 27 minutes, concluding at 2:55 a.m. "I feel destroyed," Rybakina said, "just because of the scheduling and the situation."
During her participation in the Madrid Open, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek also voiced her opposition to the schedules, asserting, "For sure it’s not healthy to play at that hour, and it’s something we should totally work on because we’re going to have more and more players that are burned out and having physical problems," she says.
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