World number one tennis star, Aryna Sabalenka, has proposed a potential modification to the Grand Slam schedule to ensure a more evenly spaced calendar for tennis professionals. Sabalenka, a two-time Melbourne champion who also made it to the semi-finals at Roland Garros, suggested that reducing the current four-month hiatus between the Australian and French Open might prove beneficial.
At present, the Australian Open concludes in late January or early February, with the French Open not commencing until late May, marking the longest interval between majors. In contrast, there are mere three weeks separating the French Open and Wimbledon, followed by a month and a half to the US Open.
Between these Grand Slams, WTA players are expected to participate in six WTA 1000 events, which include two consecutive two-week tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami and then Madrid and Rome. These tournaments follow a series of one-week events in Doha and Dubai, where Sabalenka only managed to secure a single match victory this year.
While speaking after her encouraging start at Indian Wells, Sabalenka was asked if the absence of a Grand Slam in February and March posed a challenge. She responded by stating that while it wasn’t particularly difficult, a reshuffling of the timings between the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon could prove advantageous.
Sabalenka expressed her fondness for the Indian Wells tournament, likening it to a Grand Slam event, and praising the psychological challenge it poses. However, she also acknowledged the physical and mental strain of the Middle East tournaments, especially following a successful run in Australia. She suggested that players might benefit from additional recovery time following the Australian Open.
Sabalenka’s comments came after her impressive performance at Indian Wells, where she defeated in-form American player, McCartney Kessler, advancing to the third round. This achievement marks her best performance since her Australian Open final loss to Madison Keys. The Belarusian is set to face Lucia Bronzetti next, following Bronzetti’s victory over 30th seed Magdalena Frech. Sabalenka’s path to the fourth round appears clear, with both 20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova and 16th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia already eliminated from the tournament.
Looking forward, Sabalenka is predicted to clash with third seed Coco Gauff in the semi-finals, with the potential to face world No. 2 and two-time tournament champion, Iga Swiatek, in the final round. These upcoming matches promise to deliver thrilling tennis action, even as the conversation around the Grand Slam schedule continues to evolve.
