Iga Swiatek throughout the closing match on the WTA match in opposition to Jessica Petula in Dangerous Homburg, Germany, on June 28, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: AP
Iga Swiatek criticised the relentless tennis calendar on Sunday (June 29, 2025), with the previous world primary saying that gamers shouldn’t be compelled to compete in additional than 20 tournaments a 12 months to take care of their rankings.
Now ranked fourth on this planet, Swiatek described being trapped in a system the place she had to decide on between representing her nation and specializing in herself after she reluctantly skipped Poland’s Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in April.
The 11-month grind has been one of many cornerstones of the lawsuit filed by the Skilled Tennis Gamers’ Affiliation (PTPA) in opposition to the game’s governing our bodies in March after the union described it as ‘unsustainable’.
“The scheduling is tremendous intense, it is too intense. There is not any level for us to play over 20 tournaments in a 12 months,” Swiatek advised reporters when requested concerning the largest problem to gamers by way of psychological well being.
“Typically we have to sacrifice taking part in in your nation as a result of we have to sustain with taking part in these WTA 500s, for instance, as a result of we’ll get a zero within the rating.
“I believe these sort of obligations and the foundations about necessary tournaments simply put stress on us… I believe folks would nonetheless watch tennis, perhaps much more, if we performed much less tournaments. The standard could be higher.”
Wimbledon sport on Tuesday
Swiatek is the eighth seed at Wimbledon this 12 months and he or she faces Polina Kudermetova within the first spherical on Tuesday.
The claycourt specialist with 4 French Open crowns fell within the semi-finals at Roland Garros this 12 months and he or she rapidly switched her focus to grass which has traditionally been her weakest floor.
She reached her first grasscourt closing on Saturday on the Dangerous Homburg Open the place she was left in tears after shedding to prime seed Jessica Pegula, however Swiatek is joyful along with her enchancment on grass as she involves grips with the quicker floor.
“It isn’t like an enormous change. It isn’t like 180 levels change. I would not say now all of a sudden every little thing is ideal, as a result of it is nonetheless a tough floor. It is nonetheless difficult,” Swiatek stated.
“Yearly it feels prefer it’s somewhat bit simpler to get used to the floor after which you’ve extra time to only develop as a participant.”
Printed – June 30, 2025 11:52 am IST
