Billie Jean King at odds with Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz as she slams scheduling complaints
Tennis icon Billie Jean King has revealed it is “really tough” for her to understand players criticising tennis scheduling while still playing exhibition events.
Scheduling in the sport has been a key talking point throughout 2024, with Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz among the most outspoken critics of the calendar.
WTA mandatory rules require players to play the four Grand Slams, 10 WTA 1000 events, and a further six WTA 500 events, or risk facing points sanctions.
ATP players face similar rules as set out by the ATP Tour, though only have to commit to four ATP 500 events across the season.
Alcaraz claimed earlier this season that it felt like the sport was trying to “kill us in some way”, but has since faced criticism for playing exhibition events.
Alcaraz played at the Six Kings Slams in Riyadh – held while regular ATP events were taking place – while he will also play Frances Tiafoe in an exhibition this December in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Speaking to BBC Sport at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga, King – who the event is named after – admitted she could not understand the argument that players were making.
“It’s so interesting how they always complain it’s too much,” she said.
“They’ve been doing this forever by the way – but then they get a month off and they go play exhibitions.
“I go really? You guys said you needed the rest. Don’t tell me you think the season is too long. I know if there’s enough money you go and you play.
“It’s a really tough argument for me to listen to the players.”
WTA Tour News
Emma Raducanu defended by Billie Jean King with ‘very patient’ message
Emma Raducanu issues big fitness vow and reveals key goal ahead of Billie Jean King Cup comeback
The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are underway in Malaga currently, with Swiatek, Jasmine Paolini, and Emma Raducanu among the biggest names in action.
The official WTA season concluded last week with the WTA Finals in Riyadh, won by Coco Gauff.
The decision to host the year-end championships in Saudi Arabia has attracted controversy, with human rights groups highlighting concerns regarding the treatment of women and the LGBTQ+ community in the country.
WTA greats Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert are among those to have previously expressed concerns about hosting the event in Saudi Arabia, with the contract currently running until 2026.
King, a long-time women’s and LGBTQ+ activist, believes the decision as to whether the event stays in Riyadh past that point should be player-led.
She added: “I think they have to decide. I know they [the Saudi Federation] did a lot of programmes. Let’s see if they stay, let’s see what happens.
“It’s a really hard one. For the girls that live there, I want them to see the best too. I would love to see a female player come out of the Middle East as the number one in the world as she could influence in a huge way I think.”
Read Next: The 8 active women to be WTA world No 1 – ft. Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka
