The tennis tour is always divided over scheduling woes. Some players argue that long stretches and back‑to‑back tournaments do more harm than good. Others believe it helps players build momentum and rack up points. The truth? There’s still no real solution. And now in Cincinnati, Iga Swiatek has found herself right at the center of the debate. This came after her previous opponent, Anna Kalinskaya’s run at the Cincinnati Open came with plenty of frustration over the schedule.
After a rain‑delayed battle with Ekaterina Alexandrova, Kalinskaya didn’t leave the courts until 2:40 a.m. She didn’t get to bed until 4 a.m. Hours later, the 26‑year‑old was told she’d face world No. 3 in the quarterfinal, starting at 11 a.m. Exhausted, she vented on Instagram: “How can the WTA and tournament expect athletes to perform their best when the scheduling is this unfair? … Seems a bit one sided.” Kalinskaya also stressed that constant sleep disruptions were “one of the most important aspects” of the problem.
Later that day, she lost to Iga Swiatek in straight sets, 6‑3, 6‑4. But her words about the schedule stole the spotlight. People couldn’t stop talking. On Saturday, Rick Macci—who once guided Serena and Venus Williams—chimed in on X. He posted: “Iga did not make the draw or who she played at Wimbledon. She did not make the schedule of playing times in Cincinnati. Coaches need to focus on no more excuses and training instead of chirping and complaining. @WTA” His comment came just after another coach took a dig at Swiatek’s camp over the same issue.
Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff’s former coach, also weighed in on X earlier in the week. On August 13, he wrote: “you don’t even have to look at schedule and Know Iga Pop on 1st at 11am wonder if her team ask for that or just happens that way a lot.” While Gilbert hinted at favoritism, but is it really true?
Iga did not make the draw or who she played at Wimbledon. She did not make the schedule of playing times in Cincinnati. Coaches need to focus on no more excuses and training instead of chirping and complaining. @WTA
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) August 16, 2025
Not likely. As Macci pointed out, Iga Swiatek and her team have no control over the scheduling. That lies with the tournament organizers. And while Kalinskaya’s comments lit the fuse this week, she’s far from the only player to raise the issue. In fact, Swiatek herself has spoken up about scheduling challenges in the past.
In Toronto, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina blasted the ATP after being put on court at 11 a.m. while most others got the 12:30 p.m. slot. The world No. 18 said the early start ignored what players need, especially after travel. He didn’t mince words, “We’ve asked for a change, but the answer was that everything has already been sold, tickets, TV rights, etc. Once again, it’s clear that players are not taken into consideration.”
Morning matches have never been popular. Players hate the heat, and recovery time shrinks after late-night finishes. Add long flights and back-to-backs, and the schedule feels brutal. Even Iga, now in the thick of it in Cincinnati, has openly said the tour turns “hectic” every year.
Iga Swiatek reveals her thoughts on the tour schedule
Last year in November, Iga reflected on her season in an interview with AS. It was a wild ride, a Grand Slam title, a brief return to No. 1, and a split with coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. By then, she had teamed up with Wim Fissette, known for guiding Naomi Osaka and Kim Clijsters. Asked about the endless debate over “the courts, the balls, the calendar,” she didn’t hesitate: “I think the schedule and the compulsory tournaments that we have to play. A lot of the girls can’t play all these tournaments, so that’s my biggest concern.”
Adapting, she explained, is an unavoidable part of the sport. Alcaraz has admitted struggling on indoor courts in Turin. Daniil Medvedev even turned it into comedy, mocking ball quality mid‑match in Shanghai. Swiatek acknowledged the same issues on the WTA side. “I think they’ve made some good changes in terms of the balls. The surfaces are always going to change, it’s impossible for them to always be the same.” Still, she embraced the challenge with a smile: “I think that’s the beauty of tennis, that in every tournament you have a different challenge.”
This year, the complaints only grew louder. After a tough quarterfinal loss in Dubai to Mirra Andreeva, Swiatek once again called out the calendar. She wasn’t surprised by the upsets that also saw Top 3 rivals Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka crash out early. “I’m not surprised,” she said. “But I feel like for sure the calendar is not helping.”
Her point hit home. Constant flights, new surfaces, even new balls — week after week. “Again, like, we need to switch continents, we need to switch surfaces, we need to switch the balls. Yeah, it’s not easy.” It’s exactly the same exhaustion Anna Kalinskaya has been shouting about. The frustration is mutual. The tour keeps spinning. And the big question remains: Will the rules finally change? Share your thoughts on this in the comments below!
The post Serena Williams Ex-Coach Rallies Behind Iga Swiatek Amidst Constant Cincinnati Open Complaints appeared first on EssentiallySports.