Iga Swiatek is through to the Cincinnati semi-finals after surviving a scare against 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
The world number one hasn’t looked like her unflappable self of late, with an early exit at Wimbledon coming just before an agonizing Olympic defeat in the semi-finals.
Swiatek started sluggishly with the teenager breaking early to smartly take the opening set.
A valiant Swiatek rallied back to steal the second 7-5, before a fast start in the third was enough to edge her over the line.
The Pole is playing her first hard court tournament since March, but seems to be finding her feet with every match she plays.
With a crammed schedule for the world number one this year, Swiatek dubbed the tournament pace ‘crazy’, and has since elaborated further after her quarter-final win.
Iga Swiatek criticises the WTA and ATP for their scheduling
With the North American hard court season always especially brutal, the Olympics this year has provided a unique challenge for players.
The swift surface changes, along with the long travel and time difference, has provided players with a particularly gruelling few weeks.
Swiatek, who’s already played over 50 singles matches this year complained after her match in an interview with Sky Sports via YouTube: “What can I say? I’ve been kind of an advocate in saying that we shouldn’t, I don’t know… be pushing and pushing for us to play more.
“Obviously it is not our decision,” Swiatek continued. “But for sure I think we have too many tournaments in the season. It’s not going to end well.
“It makes tennis less fun for us. Obviously, I love playing in all these places, but it’s pretty exhausting. Most of the players will tell you that. Especially when you are playing at the higher level and going to the end of tournaments.
“I don’t think it should be like that because we deserve to rest a little bit more. Maybe people are going to hate me for saying that. I’m asking for rest. That doesn’t make sense, but the best players learn how to balance it out wherever the ATP or WTA are pushing. We will see in the future how it works out.”
Iga Swiatek is absolutely right to call out the WTA and highlight player welfare
In a week where tennis fans and players have been getting increasingly angry at umpire decisions, Swiatek is the one raising the most sensible complaint.
Players are currently not being looked after properly and it is directly correlating with a large amount of injuries and retirements.
Polish compatriot Hubert Hurkacz returned prematurely this week after injuries struck the world number seven and he was set to remain out until 2025.
While he has returned far earlier, he was forced to retire in his Cincinnati match against Frances Tiafoe.
Swiatek’s opponent in the 2022 US Open final, Ons Jabeur is racing to be fit for this year’s event, after aggravating an injury in Montreal.
There are already withdrawals from the US Open and there will be more to follow if this is not properly addressed.
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