What are WTA Tour ‘mandatory’ events – and how has Iga Swiatek fallen foul of strict rules?
The role of WTA Tour ‘mandatory’ events is again under the spotlight after a controversial rankings move on Monday.
Iga Swiatek has lost 120 ranking points under WTA rules and, as a result, has lost her WTA world No 1 ranking to chief rival Aryna Sabalenka.
We look at what events are mandatory, how Swiatek broke the rules – and why the Pole may well feel aggrieved by the situation.
What events are mandatory?
Currently, WTA stars are expected to play potentially 21 events a season.
This starts with the highest level of tournament – the Grand Slams. Every player is expected to play at the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open.
The majors are then followed by the 10 WTA 1000-level events on tour, with players ranked high enough expected to enter into all of those tournaments.
This means that WTA stars are expected to play back-to-back one-week events in Doha and Dubai in February, before heading to the US for two-week-long events in Indian Wells and Miami.
Those are followed by two-week-long events in Madrid and Rome during the clay swing, and then hard-court summer events in Canada and Cincinnati – which will become two-week events from 2025.
The final two WTA 1000 events are held towards the end of the season, in Beijing and Wuhan.
Outside of those 14 high-level tournaments, top players are then expected to play in a further six WTA 500-level tournaments.
There are plenty of options for players when picking and choosing what WTA 500 events they could play; the United Cup, though not an individual tournament, counts as one of a player’s six events.
High-profile tournaments such as Stuttgart, Brisbane, Washington D.C, and Tokyo – which is taking place this week – are also all at that level.
After those 20 tournaments, players are then expected to play in the WTA Finals should they qualify.
The 18 best results from that – or 19 in case of WTA Finals qualification – are then used to calculate a WTA Ranking, with an emphasis on the Slams and combined WTA 1000 events.
What are the exemptions?
Exemptions for skipping mandatory events – in particular WTA 1000 events – are rare and are only usually justified by injury concerns.
A player is allowed to withdraw from events if they cite an injury, though they can also cite a personal matter – as Swiatek did with her withdrawals from Beijing and Wuhan.
WTA Tour News
Why did Swiatek drop points?
The reason for Swiatek’s dip was quite simple; she has not met the official WTA rules regarding the number of events a player must compete at across a season.
World No 2 Swiatek has played all four Slams and seven of the 10 WTA 1000-level tournaments on tour, with her withdrawals from Canada, Beijing, and Wuhan all allowed.
However, she has only played in two WTA 500-level events in 2024; the United Cup in January, and Stuttgart in May.
That means that she has now been handed effectively zero ranking points from 500-level events she missed, while points from a bigger event have been removed – to fit the total of 18 events.
What is her punishment?
With ‘zero-pointers’ put in place for the WTA 500 events missed, Swiatek’s 120 points from this year’s Miami Open – her lowest-performing result of the season – have been removed.
Sabalenka, who only played four 500 events in 2024, has also lost points though she has only been deducted 10 points for her worst result in Dubai – enough of a swing to see her return to world No 1.
Both women will drop points again next week, with Swiatek losing 130 points from the Australian Open or Wimbledon, while Sabalenka will drop 65 points from Miami.
Why is the punishment so controversial?
Few have been as vocal about the demanding tennis schedule as Swiatek, and it is hard not to feel that the 23-year-old is being proven somewhat justified by Monday’s rankings manoeuvres.
She has played 15 events this year – including the Olympic Games in Paris and Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers – and has regularly gone deep in those events.
During the clay court season, she won both the elongated Madrid and Rome tournaments and then won Roland Garros, a run of 20 straight match wins.
Previously, she had already won two of the first four WTA 1000 events of 2024 in Doha and Indian Wells, reached the last four in Dubai, guided Poland to the United Cup final, and reached the last four in Stuttgart.
Swiatek’s season has rarely given her breathing room, and yet she has still ‘failed’ to meet WTA requirements; her hard-earned ranking has suffered as a result.
Monday’s ranking change will likely only lead to further debate and controversy regarding these scheduling rules.
Read Next: 2024 WTA Finals – Statistical information of the eight players who have qualified for Riyadh
