Neither player cited a specific injury in their statements confirming their retirement Friday, and a spokesman for Świątek said via text message that he is feeling good and will be preparing for next month’s BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.
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A spokesman for Sabalenka was not immediately available for comment.
In a tournament statement, Sabalenka said she “did not feel 100 percent,” while Świątek said her decision was “due to a change in calendar.”
It’s the latest example of players taking control of their schedule and accepting the ranking points and financial penalties that come with missing an event of this size. High-ranked players like Sabalenka and Świątek must play in all four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 tournaments and six WTA 500 events according to association rules. The first called this calendar “crazy” last month, the second “crazy” in September.
Both had ranking points docked last year, and in 2024, for not playing enough 500-level events, while Sabalenka also missed this week’s Qatar Open, another WTA 1000 in which Świątek lost in the quarterfinals to Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
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After losing to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open last month, Świątek said she would “for sure” skip some of the 1,000 mandatory events this year as it was the only way to work on her game, especially her serve. “Last year I had trouble making these kinds of decisions, but this year I’m trying to change my approach,” he said at a news conference. “So I think we’ll skip about 1,000 tournaments for sure.”
And she has long criticized the WTA calendar and the number of mandatory events, calling the situation “insane” during the China Open last September, on a day when five of the 12 matches in the combined men’s and women’s event ended in mid-match withdrawals.
“Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even if they are mandatory,” Świątek said at a press conference. “The WTA has made this crazy with all these mandatory rules.
“It’s impossible to fit everything into the schedule. I don’t think any elite player can do it.”
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The WTA said in a statement at the time that “the well-being of athletes is always the top priority” and emphasized the $400 million increase in player compensation that has underpinned rules on mandatory events, implemented in 2024.
Sabalenka, meanwhile, said during her Brisbane International title run in January that playing a schedule as light as Serena Williams’ at her peak had become impossible.
“The season is definitely crazy, and that’s not good for all of us, since you see a lot of players get injured and also the balls are quite heavy. It’s a lot of struggle for all of us,” Sabalenka said at a press conference.
“The rules are quite complicated with the mandatory events, but I’m still skipping a couple of events to protect my body, because I had a lot of problems last season. Even though the results were very consistent, some of the tournaments I had played were completely sick or I felt very exhausted from playing too much.
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“This season we will try to manage it a little better, although they are going to fine me at the end of the season. But it is difficult to do it. You can’t skip a 1000 event. It’s really complicated, and I think what they do is crazy. I think they just follow their interests, but they don’t focus on protecting us all.”
A WTA spokesperson said in response that “the well-being of athletes is, and always will be, a top priority for the WTA. We listen to and collaborate closely with the players on all matters related to the tennis season, including through the WTA Players Council and the players’ representatives on the WTA Board of Directors.”
“We are committed to supporting the well-being of athletes and maintaining the long-term health of the sport. Based on feedback from our players, tournaments and fans, we continue to review and explore improvements to our Tour structure, working in coordination with the ATP, the ITF and the Grand Slams.”
On the men’s side, there have been similar complaints: World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz said in September 2024 that the tennis schedule meant “they’re probably going to kill us somehow.” He and World No. 2 Jannik Sinner skipped the Canadian Open (a mandatory 1000 event) last year and play a lighter schedule than most, but very few players can afford to miss out on the ranking points and money on offer at the big events.
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When world No. 4 Alexander Zverev was asked at the Australian Open if he would consider a strategy similar to that of the top two, he replied: “Yes, but they are making $50 million a year. We are not all Carlos and Jannik.”
The fear is that, in tennis terms, the rich will get richer because only the most privileged can afford to take time to recharge and work on their game that the mandatory rules, if followed, do not allow.
Sabalenka, like Świątek, is expected to return to Indian Wells, which begins on Wednesday, March 4. Sabalenka lost to Mirra Andreeva in last year’s final.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Tennis, Women’s tennis
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