Iga Swiatek has criticised two of the governing bodies of world tennis for putting players at risk of injury after she was forced to abandon plans to compete at the Billie Jean King Cup.
Swiatek, the world No 1, had hoped to represent her native Poland in the finals of the international team competition, but said the event’s proximity to the WTA Finals made it unsafe to contest both.
The week-long WTA showpiece, which is being staged this year in Fort Worth, Texas, is scheduled to conclude the day before the BJK Cup gets underway in Glasgow on 8 November, leaving scant time to make the 10-hour journey. Swiatek, whose seven titles this season include Roland Garros and the US Open, is widely expected to make a deep run in Texas, meaning she would potentially have faced a last-minute dash across time zones, with no opportunity to make the required adjustments, had she attempted to play for her country.
“I was thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team all over again, but I will not be able to play at the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow,” said the 21-year-old in a statement posted on Instagram. “And it makes me sad. I’m very sorry, because I play for Poland whenever it’s possible and I always give it my best. Playing in Poland this year [in April’s qualifiers] was an honour and I hoped to do this again at the end of the season.
“I’m disappointed that tennis governing bodies did not come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and change the time zone.
“This situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury. I’m going to talk to the WTA and ITF [International Tennis Federation] in order to change something. This situation is difficult not only for the players like me, but mainly for the tennis fans that support our sport.”
Swiatek’s criticism, which follows her complaint before the US Open about the use of different balls for the men’s and women’s draws, offers further evidence of her growing willingness to speak out on issues pertinent to the women’s game.
Since inheriting the top ranking in April following the retirement of Ashleigh Barty, the Pole has established herself not only as the dominant force on the WTA Tour but, through her fundraising efforts for children affected by the Ukraine war, a leading figure in the collective voice and conscience of the game. Her absence will be keenly felt in Glasgow.