Poland’s Iga Swiatek performs towards Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova throughout their girls’s singles first spherical match on day two of the US Open tennis match on the USTA Billie Jean King Nationwide Tennis Middle in New York Metropolis, on August 27, 2024. (Photograph by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
NEW YORK — It’s nothing new for tennis gamers to fret aloud about their sport’s overcrowded calendar, too-tough season and too-short offseason.
No. 1-ranked Iga Swiatek added an extra criticism this week on the U.S. Open: Athletes are usually not being heard after they specific considerations about potential hurt to psychological and bodily well being attributable to having extra tournaments that run longer and new guidelines that require participation in additional occasions — and, she added, these athletes are usually not being consulted sufficient by the skilled excursions.
“We wish to no less than be within the loop,” mentioned Swiatek, a five-time Grand Slam champion who performs her second-round match at Flushing Meadows on Thursday. “It could be good for us to have some impression, as a result of I don’t assume our sport goes in the suitable route.”
She’s hardly alone in harboring these doubts.
READ: Swiatek seals place amongst greats with ‘surreal’ fourth French Open
“The excursions are usually not united sufficient to collaborate with out egos and cash getting concerned. The gamers are completely getting crushed in so some ways — bodily, mentally, financially,” mentioned Mackie McDonald, a Californian who beat Rafael Nadal on the 2023 Australian Open and misplaced to No. 1 Jannik Sinner on the U.S. Open on Tuesday. “Having a standard life? We’re removed from it. After which truly getting what we deserve, particularly on the Slams? It’s unhappy. I’ll put it that approach.”
Swiatek raised questions concerning the schedule in a TV interview in the course of the Cincinnati Open tuneup occasion earlier this month — and drew on-line criticism from former participant Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who wrote on social media: “is somebody pushing you to play ???”
That ignored Swiatek’s primary level, however it additionally ignored this: Sure, she and feminine gamers do must enter extra tourneys this season underneath new WTA Tour guidelines. There’s additionally the understanding that the one strategy to get extra rankings factors is to play — and, in fact, win — with frequency.
The battle, as defined by three-time main semifinalist Elina Svitolina, is that this: “You wish to play extra, since you wish to be excessive within the rankings and also you wish to win tournaments, but additionally it is advisable to deal with your psychological well being and your bodily (situation).”
READ: US Open unfolds amid a brand new period for gamers’ psychological well being
In 2024, except for the 4 Grand Slam tournaments, girls should take part in 16 WTA occasions, up from 10 in 2023. The tour mentioned gamers have been averaging about 20 tournaments every per season over the previous a number of years.
One other factor gamers don’t appear to like is the growing variety of two-week mixed tournaments for ladies and men on the tier under the Slams, which reduces breaks between occasions.
“We don’t have time to work on stuff or reside peacefully,” Swiatek mentioned, “as a result of from one match we’re going straight to a different.”
She additionally famous that the 2025 season truly begins within the final week of December 2024.
“There isn’t a query the skilled tennis season is lengthy, and we acknowledge the demanding schedule skilled, particularly, by gamers competing on the highest degree. … The brand new schedule, which was developed in session with representatives of gamers and tournaments, doesn’t require gamers (on common) to play greater than they might have performed in earlier years, however offers extra predictability for the highest gamers and higher pathways for aspiring gamers,” new tour CEO Portia Archer mentioned. “The WTA will proceed to take heed to participant and match suggestions and might be open to creating changes sooner or later as could also be applicable.”
The ATP males’s tour has eight obligatory Masters 1000 occasions yearly, and gamers are imagined to go to 4 tournaments on the subsequent degree down, known as 500s.
Holger Rune, of Denmark, reacts towards Brandon Nakashima, of america, throughout a primary spherical match of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Monday, Aug. 26, 2024, in New York. (AP Photograph/Matt Rourke)
Holger Rune, the U.S. Open’s fifteenth seed, mentioned after shedding within the first spherical he’s been coping with a knee drawback and doubtless ought to have taken day off however felt compelled to maintain competing.
“We wish to be prepared and play one of the best tournaments, however the schedule is so tight. It’s most likely the tightest sports activities schedule that there’s, I feel. There’s December, after we’re imagined to be off. After which there’s exhibition occasions and all the pieces,” Rune mentioned. “It’s virtually ongoing, 24/7.”
That may result in accidents. Or burnout. Or just being unable to place forth one’s greatest.
Donna Vekic is within the midst of a breakthrough season, having reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon in July and captured a silver medal on the Paris Olympics in August. However the 28-year-old Croatian mentioned after her first-round victory Monday she received sick after each of these occasions.
“The schedule is completely brutal. If you evaluate it to different sports activities which have an precise offseason — we have now, what, a month, a month and a half? You don’t even have time to chill out, get relaxation, earlier than it’s important to begin coaching once more,” Vekic mentioned. “I’m unsure it’s going to change, however it’s very unhealthy.”
She tried to unplug after Wimbledon, spending 9 days vacationing on a ship. However that didn’t precisely go away her refreshed.
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“You most likely really feel contemporary,” Vekic mentioned, “originally of the yr. … That’s about it.”
