'It makes me sad' - Iga Swiatek criticises 'not safe' tennis schedule, pulls out of Billie Jean King Cup
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Updated 05/10/2022 at 13:14 GMT
Poland's Iga Swiatek has not only pulled out of the Billie Jean King Cup, but she has taken a stand with a punchy statement posted on social media in disappointment at the tennis schedule that she says has prevented her from competing in the event. Swiatek said she was "going to talk to the WTA and ITF in order to change something" after sending her apologies to her fans, particularly in Poland.
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Iga Swiatek has withdrawn from the Billie Jean King Cup and lamented a schedule on the women's tennis tour that she says is "not safe" for the players.
The 21-year-old told her fans that she was "very sorry", "disappointed" and "sad" to have to pull out of the competition, where she had been hoping to represent Poland once more.
But the world No. 1 explained in a statement posted to her Instagram account that she would not be able to participate due to the condensed tennis schedule as she cited the failure of the WTA and ITF to "come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments".
"I was thinking it through a lot and discussing it with my team all over again, but I will not be able to play at the Billie Jean King Cup in Glasgow," Swiatek said in her statement.
"And it makes me sad. I'm very sorry because I play for Poland whenever it is possible and I always give it my best.
"Playing in Poland this year was an honour and I hoped to do this again at the end of the season.
"I'm disappointed that tennis governing bodies did not come to an agreement on something as basic as the calendar of tournaments, giving us only one day to travel through the globe and changing the time zone.
"This situation is not safe for our health and could cause injury. I'm going to talk to the WTA and ITF in order to change something.
"This situation is difficult not only for the players like me but mainly for the tennis fans that support our sport."
It has been another stunning season for the precociously-talented Pole, who triumphed at Roland-Garros for the second time and followed that up with her third Grand Slam title and first on hard courts at the US Open.
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