"I think it's going to be tough": Iga Swiatek says 2024 schedule change will force players to 'skip tournaments'
WTA
Iga Swiatek has voiced her concerns over the decision to extend all WTA 1000 events to two weeks from next year, saying it could lead players to 'skip tournaments' in order to avoid exhaustion.
World No. 1 Swiatek is one of several players to have spoken out about the difficulty of adhering to some WTA scheduling decisions made throughout this season.
Following rain delays at the recent Omnium Banque Nationale Canadian Open in Montreal, several players were forced to play late into the night or to play two matches on the same day. As a result, world No. 4 Elena Rybakina and tournament finalist Liudmila Samsonova called out the WTA's scheduling choices.
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Swiatek predicts next year will be challenging
The Polish player supported her fellow players at the time, saying the WTA should prioritize players' health.
"For sure, weather is something we can’t really predict, but maybe we should focus more on what is healthy for players because we have to compete every week," she said.
Moreover, following her semi-final defeat to eventual champion Coco Gauff at this week's Cincinnati Open, Swiatek revealed that she was relieved to have a few extra days off to rest ahead of the US Open.
"I would say my tank of fuel is pretty empty. Honestly, I’m not even going to kind of regret a lot because I’m happy that I’m going to have days off now," she said after the match.
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This comment led the 22-year-old to be asked about her feelings on all WTA 1000 events expanding to two weeks next year. Swiatek admitted she didn't know for sure what it was going to be like, but she was pretty certain that players would find the change difficult to deal with.
"I have no idea. I've been thinking actually of, like, asking former players, because they have more kind of experience in situations like that. I know for sure that it's different having a day off during the tournament. You're still thinking about your matches and what to improve.
"It's not like you can do a lot in terms of practicing, as well, because mostly you're just catching rhythm for one hour because you have to stay fresh for matches. It is going to be challenging in terms of that," she said.
Swiatek then went on to add that the lack of time to recover between events could lead more players to 'skip tournaments' in order to stay healthy.
"I don't know what's better. We'll see. But I think it's going to be tough for us to play throughout the whole season. I think we will kind of have to choose that we're going to skip one of these tournaments," she continued.
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