Iga Swiatek says the implementation of performance byes in tournaments makes no difference to her after some of the Pole’s peers have criticized the rule.
A debate over the use of the rule was recently sparked by Elena Rybakina who voiced her frustration about missing out on getting a first round bye at last week’s Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo which she ended up withdrawing from. Instead, they were rewarded to Maria Sakkari and Caroline Garcia based on their results at the Guadalajara Open. Both of those players are ranked lower than Rybakina.
The use of performance bye’s is nothing new in the sport and they have been in the official rulebook since 2009 when WTA Premier events (now called WTA 1000’s) were introduced.
Speaking about the topic following her 6-4, 6-3, win over Sara Sorribes Tormo at the China Open, Swiatek says she has no issue with the rule. This week is the first time she has played a WTA event without being the top seed for over a year. During the US Open, she lost her No.1 ranking to Aryna Sabalenka.
“I didn’t really dig into this rule so much because these are the first tournaments that I’m playing where it’s possible to get this kind of thing. But it’s been on tour for a long time,” Swiatek explained during her press conference.
“I think it’s smart because usually when I had tournaments that I played till the end, I know how it is to rush to another tournament and not have time to rest and prepare. So I think that rule is fine. I think that rule makes sense.’
“I just want to focus on myself. For me, doesn’t matter if I’m going to play one more match. It’s another opportunity for me to kind of win and to play. So it doesn’t matter to me if I play another match or not.”
Swiatek’s latest win is the first time she has won a WTA match on Chinese soil. Over the past couple of years, women’s tennis events were suspended in the country amid fears that former player Peng Shuai was being censored by authorities. Shuai accused a former political official of sexual abuse and has rarely been in public ever since.
“I love playing on the court. I thought the court was really nice,” she said.
Swiatek is only the second player from her country to record 125 Tour-level victories during a two-year span. The first to do so was Agnieszka Radwanska between 2012-2013.
She will play Varvara Gracheva in her next match at the China Open.
