Tennis star Iga Swiatek says she may flout ‘crazy’ competition rules to protect her health

BEIJING – Six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek said on Sept 29 she might skip mandatory tournaments to protect her health after a string of injuries among players at the China Open.

The world No. 2 from Poland reached the last 16 in Beijing after her Colombian opponent Camila Osorio lost their first set 6-0 and retired hurt before the second.

The amount of matches on the tennis calendar has been a major talking point in recent years, with players such as Novak Djokovic cutting back the number of events they compete in as they near the end of their careers.

“I don’t know yet how my career is going to look like in a couple of years,” the 24-year-old Swiatek said.

“Maybe I will have to choose some tournaments and skip them, even though they are mandatory,” she added.

Starting in 2025, the WTA made it mandatory for top players to participate in each Grand Slam, 10 WTA 1000 events – which includes Beijing – and six 500-level tournaments.

“It’s just impossible to squeeze it in the schedule,” the former world No. 1 said.

“I think we have to be smart about it, not really unfortunately care about the rules and just think what’s healthy for us.”

Swiatek called the requirements “pretty crazy” for top players, adding that “people are more fatigued” in the second half of the season.

“I think the Asian swing is the hardest part because you feel like the season is going to finish soon, but you still need to push,” she said.

Swiatek faces Emma Navarro next after the 16th-seeded American progressed due to another retirement, this time from France’s Lois Boisson on Sept 29. Two other players had also quit mid-match in the women’s singles draw a day earlier.

But the most significant withdrawal for the Beijing crowd has to be home favourite Zheng Qinwen, the seventh seed whose first tournament since Wimbledon was cut short in the third set against the Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova, who reached the last 16 having been 3-0 up in the decider.

In the men’s ATP 500 event also running in Beijing, Jakub Mensik retired during his quarter-final on Sept 29.

Last week, men’s world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz had a scare at the Japan Open in Tokyo when he landed awkwardly on his ankle.

“The only thing I can do now, when I decided I’m going to play all these mandatory tournaments, is to just take care of my body, take care of the recovery,” Swiatek added on Sept 29 in Beijing.

“But yeah, there are a lot of injuries. I think it is because the season is too long and too intense.”

Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner showed his battling qualities to reach the China Open semi-finals with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Hungarian Fabian Marozsan on Sept 29, claiming a seventh semi-final spot in the eight tournaments he has played in 2025.

The Italian world No. 2 said: “He’s someone whose peak is high, which I knew before the match. When he was serving for the set, he made a couple of unforced errors which helped me to come back and win in two.”

Up next for the four-time Major champion is Australian third seed Alex de Minaur, who reached the semis when Czech 20-year-old Mensik retired from their match with a left leg injury while trailing 4-1 in the opening set.

American teenager Learner Tien was the beneficiary after Sinner’s compatriot and fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti also pulled out following a 3-0 deficit in the deciding third set.

The 19-year-old’s next opponent is Russian eighth seed Daniil Medvedev, who beat second seed Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-3, 6-3.

Over in Tokyo, Alcaraz recovered from a slow start to beat Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sept 29 and reach the Japan Open final, where he will meet second seed Taylor Fritz with the chance to claim his eighth title of 2025.

Alcaraz will also be seeking revenge on Sept 30 after a shock defeat by Fritz in the Laver Cup in San Francisco earlier in September, his first loss to the American in four career meetings.

“He’s been playing great tennis lately,” said Alcaraz, 22.

“At the Laver Cup against me, against Alexander Zverev and in this tournament... he’s feeling great and really comfortable on the court, so I’ll try to change a few things. Obviously, the speed of the court and everything is different.”

American Fritz, 27, earlier saw off compatriot Jenson Brooksby 6-4, 6-3 with flawless serving in tough moments to reach his third final of the season, after claiming grass-court titles in Stuttgart and Eastbourne.

“I served insanely well today,” said 2022 champion Fritz, who sent down 13 aces.

“A high percentage of first serves... hit a lot of lines. It felt like any game I didn’t hit three aces, he was putting a ton of pressure on me, outplaying me from the baseline most of the match.

“I was just able to hang in it with my serve... and then capitalise on the mistakes that he made.”
AFP, REUTERS