"It’s a really tough argument for me to listen": Billie Jean King hits out at stars for hypocrisy about tennis congested calendar

Former world number one Billie Jean King has criticised players for complaining too much about the busy schedule but still playing in exhibition events. In 2024, many players, including some of the top ones, complained about the congested tennis schedule.

Two of the big-name players who were very vocal about it were women’s world number two, Iga Swiatek of Poland, and men’s world number three, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. During the Cincinnati Open in August, Swiatek urged the authorities to understand that players deserve more rest.

“Truth to the fact is that we have so many mandatory tournaments that we literally need to show up and we don’t have time to work on stuff or live peacefully because from one tournament we’re going straight to another,” she said back then. “We don’t even have time at the end of the year because literally the first tournament starts on the 29th of December. So yeah the season is for sure too long. I think it needs to be changed because also I think it’s going to be better for fans.”

Spain’s Alcaraz agreed with Swiatek’s point of view and slammed the ATP for having a schedule that does not allow players to rest. “Probably they are going to kill us in some way,” he said during the Laver Cup, where he represented Team Europe.

Former world number one King was recently quoted in a report by Tennis 365, in which she criticised players for complaining about the schedule but still playing in exhibition events. She stated that she could not understand such players' arguments.

“It’s so interesting how they always complain it’s too much,” she said. “They’ve been doing this forever by the way – but then they get a month off and they go play exhibitions. I go really? You guys said you needed the rest. Don’t tell me you think the season is too long. I know if there’s enough money you go and you play. It’s a really tough argument for me to listen to the players.”

Spain’s Alcaraz recently participated in an exhibition in Saudi Arabia titled the Six Kings Slam. He lost in the final to world number one Italy’s Jannik Sinner with a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-3. Despite losing the final, Alcaraz reportedly earned more than $4 million in prize money.