“Playing for eleven months is pretty crazy”: Iga Swiatek backs PTPA’s push for change in tennis schedule

Iga Swiatek shared her thoughts on the Professional Tennis Players Association’s (PTPA) lawsuit against tennis’s major governing bodies — the ATP, WTA, and ITF — over prize money distribution and the gruelling 11-month season players must endure.

Players have long complained about the number of mandatory tournaments they’re required to play, including Carlos Alcaraz and Swiatek herself. The five-time Grand Slam champion commented on the PTPA’s recent lawsuit after making her Miami Open debut.

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The world No. 2 made a strong start, defeating Caroline Garcia 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the third round, where she’ll face 27th seed Elise Mertens this Sunday. The Pole is aiming to reclaim the title she won in 2022, when she secured the Sunshine Double.

Asked about the PTPA case, Swiatek shared her thoughts on what she hopes the players’ association can achieve: “Well, for sure the season is super long,” she said. “I’ve been speaking about it before, that playing for 11 months is pretty crazy. I think tennis fans would be interested as much or even more if the season was a bit shorter.”

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“It would be maybe a bit easier to follow everything. I mean, 11 months is unnecessary and it’s too much,” the former world No. 1 added. “Yeah, I mean, that was probably always my biggest thing I was talking about.”

Swiatek didn’t have much rest between seasons. Her last match in 2023 was on 7 November, when she defeated Daria Kasatkina at the WTA Finals, and she returned to action on 30 December at the United Cup, beating Norway’s Malene Helgo.

The Pole ended her 2023 season with a 64-9 singles record, along with a handful of doubles and mixed doubles matches, plus some exhibition events.

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