WTA founder Billie Jean King suggests she finds it funny how certain players often complain about the length of the calendar but then sign up for exhibitions in December, the period that is supposed to be their rest month.
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Over the last few seasons, the schedule has been one of the most frequent topics as some absolutely believe that it is time for a change. When it specifically comes to the WTA Tour, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina have been the two loudest critics of the calendar.
On the ATP Tour, the situation is no different since the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev often complain about it too.
One of the most-frequently made arguments by players is that there is no need for the season to continuing beyond the US Open. And speaking to BBC Sport, King agreed that the season is too long and that it should end after the final Grand Slam of the season. However, that didn't stop the WTA icon from suggesting that some players are maybe a bit hypocritical and also added that is the reason why it is hard for her to listen to the calendar complaints.
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"It's so interesting how they always complain it's too much. 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," King told BBC Sport.
Between December 19-22, the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi will take place. And it will feature some of the biggest names of women's tennis, including Swiatek, Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka.
Swiatek absolutely went off on the WTA calendar in August
10 days after Wimbledon, the Paris Olympics started. While the Olympic event was ongoing, the North American hard-court swing was also at its start. To players' defense, changing three different surfaces in a month was never going to be easy.
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After winning the bronze medal for the Poland, the Polish tennis star pulled out of the WTA 1000 event in Montreal and returned to action in Cincinnati. And following her tight three-set win over Mirra Andreeva in the Cincinnati quarterfinal, the 23-year-old warned that "it's not going to end well" if some things don't change and that the circumstances were making the game "less fun."
"So what can I say I've been kind of an advocate, saying that well, we shouldn't be pushing and pushing for us to play more. Obviously, it's not our decision, but for sure, I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It's not gonna end well as it's just it makes tennis less fun for us. Let's just say, I mean, obviously, I love playing all these places but it's pretty exhausting," Swiatek told Sky Sports.
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At the time, the five-time Grand Slam champion also claimed that there are other players who thought the same way.
"I think most of the players could tell you that. Especially when you're playing at the high level and, you know, going to high-ranking tournaments. I don't think it should be like that. We deserve to rest a little bit more obviously maybe. People are going to hate me for that because it sounded weird that I'm asking for rest. It doesn't make sense, but the truth is that you have got to keep up with the Tour," Swiatek added.
Rybakina also had one brutal warning
In 2022 March, Ashleigh Barty was just 25 when she retired from pro tennis. At the time, she was coming off an Australian Open triumph and was also the world No. 1.
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When criticizing the schedule earlier this year, the 25-year-old Kazakh star warned the WTA that more players could starting pulling off a Barty unless they changed something.
"If you want to see good quality of tennis, if you want to see players play long their career, not finish early maybe as Ash did, I think, in my opinion, it would be nice to change something. Of course public wants to see good tennis, good quality, but for the players, it's not easy. I mean, of course I'm not here to complain. I'm playing and making good money, but, I mean, I would say that it's not the best thing when you are kind of without emotions and youre just like on remote control going to play," Rybakina said in May.
