"We need more balance and time to get back home": Iga Swiatek openly criticises 2024 WTA Calendar, says 'room for improvement'

Iga Swiatek criticized the WTA for the 2024 calendar and the current rules regarding mandatory tournaments. The 22-year-old Polish player has been one of the most vocal critics of the WTA, and leveraging her position as the world No. 1, she has become a leader in addressing the concerns and grievances of her fellow players.

Swiatek recently commented in an interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita that players are expecting changes in the calendar, and the majority are not aware of the changes mandated by the WTA: "There is room for improvement," she said.

“As players, we are dissatisfied with the calendar for next year and the increase in the number of mandatory tournaments and restrictions related to withdrawing from them,” Iga Swiatek added.

“We want to change this. We need more balance and time to get back home. Sometimes, however, we beat our heads against the wall. Some decisions seem to be the result of promises made to third parties, federations and tournament organizers,” 4-times Grand Slam champion claimed.

“We find out about them after the fact. This causes frustration. Only a handful of players were aware of the calendar reform and the WTA cannot lead to such a situation again, since it considers itself an organization created for tennis players,” she added.

Swiatek acknowledged that she is in a more fortunate financial position than most and can travel with her family, while the majority must prioritize traveling only with their coaches to save money:

“I hope that we will be able to change something – for example in the rules regarding withdrawing from tournaments,” she continued.

“Fortunately, I am in a situation where I can afford for my family to go on a trip with me, but not everyone can afford it. Many players rather save all their money to pay their coaches.’

“However, there is a difference between taking your family with you and returning home, when you can wash your clothes and spend time in the place where you grew up. I often miss Warsaw,” Swiatek concluded.

The Pole won $9,857,686 in prize money during 2023, making her the tennis player with the highest on-court earnings, surpassing Aryna Sabalenka's $8,202,653, not including sponsorship earnings.