(VIDEO) "I just don't understand these stupid rules": Kasatkina fumes at WTA 250 rules preventing top 10 player involvement

Daria Kasatkina criticized the WTA for prohibiting top-10 players from participating in 250 events.

The Russian tennis player reached the third round of Wimbledon, where she was defeated by Belarusian Victoria Azarenka. Kasatkina entered the tournament as the 11th seed and easily won her first two matches against Caroline Dolehide and Jodie Anna Burrage, but couldn't overcome former world No. 1 Azarenka.

In August 2022, Kasatkina entered the top-10 and has been fluctuating around that ranking, currently holding the world No. 11 position, with her best ranking being world No. 8. She has taken advantage of WTA 250 tournaments to earn points, especially when some of her top-10 rivals are not competing.

Regarding the new rule that only allows one top-10 player in 250 events, Kasatkina shared her thoughts:

"Here at WTA 250 top 10 players are not allowed at all. There are very strict rules about how many WTA 250 top 10 players can play. That's why it is very difficult for these tournaments to survive. I just don't understand these stupid rules. They are only in WTA, not in ATP. In WTA, forbidden to play WTA 250 for the top 10, only 2 per year, maximum," Kasatkina said.

"I don't understand how do these tournaments make money if they can't invite any top famous players. So they say that 250 category tournaments have no money. Of course, they have no money, they can't generate it. They don't help them," she added

"I just don't understand. If you are top 10, you can play two WTA 250 tournaments a year, and only if there are no other top 10 in these tournaments. So there can only be one top 10 player on one WTA 250.

"Because in ATP, all these small tournaments, I mean category 250, they can two top 10 players. And people will come, they will watch, there will be broadcasts. There will be life in tournaments. Of course, if no one players at all. No one is allowed to play. Nothing like that will happen. But they only make it worse," Daria Kasatkina said.

Daria Kasatkina participated in this week's WTA 250 Palermo Ladies Open, where she was the top seed, but she was defeated in the quarterfinals by the Italian player Jasmine Paolini.