Tennis world number one Iga Swiatek has announced that she will not start the Billie Jean King Cup and at the same time criticized the WTA and ITF associations.
“I’ve thought about it for a long time and discussed it with my team over and over again, but I won’t be able to play the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow. And that makes me sad,” shared the 21-year-old Pole on Instagram .
She has always enjoyed playing for her home country in the Nations Tournament and hopes to do so again soon. But the tight schedule does not allow any other decision now.
Because from October 31, Swiatek will be the favorite at the WTA Finals in Fort Worth, Texas, and just one day after the end of the tournament, the Billie Jean King Cup will start on November 8 in Glasgow, around 7,200 kilometers away.
“I’m disappointed that the federations couldn’t agree on even the most basic things like the tournament calendar, giving us only one day to travel around the world and across two time zones. This situation is not good for our health and can cause injuries.” , explained the three-time Grand Slam winner, who triumphed at the French Open and the US Open this year.
Swiatek wants to talk to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to avoid such a situation, which is “difficult” not only for the players but also for the fans.