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Jelena Ostapenko called out the WTA's scheduling and suggested that the WTA is to blame for several star players withdrawing from a WTA 1000 tournament in Guadalajara. This week, a WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara is taking place.
When the tournament's entry list was released in August, seven top-10 players signed up to play the tournament. But since it's taking place just a week after the conclusion of the US Open, many star players decided to skip the tournament and rest, including Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari.
Ons Jabeur, ranked at No 7 in the world, is the only top-10 player competing in Guadalajara this week. "I mean, it is what it is. Of course it's a nice tournament, but the scheduling this year is not very good for the players.
But, yeah, it's a nice tournament. There is nothing to do with the tournament, it's just the way the WTA is doing scheduling," Ostapenko said.
Ostapenko on her Guadalajara campaign
Last year, world No 16 Ostapenko made the Guadalajara round-of-16 in her tournament debut.
This year, Ostapenko is starting her Guadalajara campaign by playing against Marta Kostyuk. At the start of the tournament, Ostapenko isn't putting any big expectations for herself this week. "I mean, I don't expect anything.
I just take one match at a time. It's not easy to play here because it's altitude. But, yeah, I played quite well here last year, so hopefully this year I can play even better," Ostapenko said. Also in Guadalajara, Ostapenko was asked where she sees the WTA in 10 years.
"I mean, I think it's getting better and better with the quality and the prize money and all these things. I think it's good that the WTA is doing better and trying to be similar to the ATP," Ostapenko said. It remains to be seen how well can Ostapenko do this week in Guadalajara.