Tennis players not protected from ‘insane’ tournament scheduling – Sabalenka

By Enitan Abdultawab

World number one Aryna Sabalenka has criticised tennis authorities for prioritising their own interests over player welfare, describing the current tennis calendar as “insane” and unsustainable.

The Belarusian star revealed that she plans to skip several tournaments during the season to protect her health, even though she expects to face sanctions from the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for missing mandatory events.

Under WTA regulations, top players are required to compete in all four Grand Slam tournaments, 10 WTA 1000 events and six WTA 500 tournaments. Failure to meet these obligations can result in penalties ranging from fines to deductions in ranking points.

Sabalenka was among the high-profile players penalised in 2025 after competing in only three WTA 500 events — Brisbane, Stuttgart and Berlin. World number two Iga Swiatek was also docked points under the same rules.

Speaking to reporters after her victory over Sorana Cirstea at the Brisbane International, the four-time Grand Slam champion said the congested schedule had taken a serious toll on players.

“The season is definitely insane, and that’s not good for all of us,” Sabalenka said. “You see so many players getting injured.”

She explained that although the mandatory-event rules leave players with limited flexibility, she would still skip certain tournaments to avoid burnout and injury.

“I struggled a lot last season. Even though the results were consistent, there were tournaments where I played while sick or completely exhausted from overplaying,” she said.

Sabalenka added that while she expects to be fined, managing her fitness is now a priority.

“This season we will try to manage it a bit better, even though they are going to fine me by the end of the season,” she said. “You cannot skip 1000 events. It’s really tricky, and I think what they’re doing is insane.”

She accused tennis authorities of failing to place players’ well-being at the centre of their decision-making.

“I think they just follow their interests and are not focusing on protecting us,” she said.

Concerns over the length and intensity of the tennis calendar have been growing among the sport’s top players in recent months.

Men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz has also raised alarms about the packed schedule, although he continues to participate in high-profile exhibition matches. The Spaniard is set to face rival Jannik Sinner in a lucrative exhibition in South Korea this weekend, just over a week before the Australian Open.

Both the men’s and women’s tours have come under increased scrutiny for their near year-round schedules, with the issue highlighted during last year’s Asian swing, when injuries mounted across both circuits.

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