"I don't think it's coincidence; it's a sign for WTA & ATP to take it easy on us" - Iga Swiatek on unusually large retirement count at Cincinnati Open
The Cincinnati Open has witnessed an unusually large number of retirements this year, and World No. 1 Iga Swiatek doesn't think it's mere coincidence. Swiatek, in fact, sees it as a sign for the WTA and the ATP to take it easy on the players with their scheduling and protect their health.
So far at the combined men's and women's event this week, Holger Rune, Elena Rybakina, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Donna Vekic, Mackenzie McDonald, Dusan Lajovic and Marie Bouzkova have had to abandon their matches midway.
With the Canadian Open, another major 1000-level tournament on both tours, having taken place just last week, the quick turnaround has been cited by many as the reason for the spate of retirements in Cincinnati.
Swiatek echoed a similar sentiment at her post-match press conference on Friday, saying that it has become harder and harder for players over the years. She predicted it would be even more difficult for her colleagues next year, especially if all the 1000-level tournaments are extended to two weeks.
While the four-time Grand Slam champion conceded that the WTA and the ATP need to look at the business side of things, she's adamant that it should not come at the cost of players' health.
She also hopes her colleagues take care of themselves and take a break whenever they feel necessary, adding that their teams need to make smart decisions to ensure that they do not overexert themselves.
"I think it's harder and harder. Tournaments, if they are longer, we have less time in between tournaments to recover. I think it's going to be pretty extreme next year if all the 1000 tournaments are going to be like almost two weeks. So I don't think it's a coincidence. I think it's a sign for WTA and ATP to kind of take it easy on us. On the other side, there's business that they need to take care of," Iga Swiatek said.
"Our season is actually going to get longer. I guess we are the ones that should be kind of responsible and know when to take a break and not really push because it's a race, and it's a pretty long one. We have to be smart and your team has to be smart to make the right decisions," she added.
"This North American hardcourt swing is hard, especially with the delays and the weather" - Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek also noted that the North American hardcourt swing is hard as it is, made all the more difficult by the unexpected rain delays that happened at the Canadian Open last week. Regardless, the 22-year-old put the onus on the WTA and ATP tours to help the players out.
"I'm not surprised because, yeah, this swing is hard, especially with the delays and the weather that messed up the schedule in Montreal.
"It's hard to recover from playing two matches a day. I know that after Warsaw. It was a 250, so the pressure was little bit different than a 1000. Yeah, I understand that. I don't think it's a coincidence," Iga Swiatek said.
Interestingly, Swiatek herself has dealt remarkably well with the workload so far in the lead-up to the US Open. Having reached the semifinals in Montreal, the World No. 1 is in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open, too, where she takes on Coco Gauff on Saturday.