Coco Gauff reacts to Elena Rybakina slamming WTA for US Open threat

Coco Gauff has jumped to defend Elena Rybakina after she blasted the WTA’s scheduling. The American tennis star agrees that tournaments “have to do better” with the intention to defend gamers from damage and fatigue.

Rybakina’s feedback got here following her semifinal defeat to Liudmila Samsonova on the Canadian Open. The 24-year-old was seen carrying a shoulder strap throughout the 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 loss which was delayed because of rain.

Following the end result, which ended at 3 a.m. ET, the five-time title winner blamed her damage on the hectic schedule and hit out on the WTA. “Yeah, definitely I feel destroyed just because of the scheduling and the whole situation. I’m not really happy about it, but yeah, it is what it is,” she mentioned.

Rybakina later added that she had barely slept forward of the sport, one thing which Coco Gauff sympathized with. Following her straight-sets win over Linda Noskova within the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open, the 19-year-old jumped to defend Rybakina’s feedback.

“Rybakina’s match, she finished at 3 a.m., which is insane,” Gauff mentioned. “She’s right. It does set you up for a terrible week. I do think some of the tournaments, especially the one-week tournaments where there’s not that extra day, have to do better.”

Gauff went on so as to add that finally the scheduling conflicts are out of gamers’ palms. “Unfortunately, I think Elena and Iga [Swiatek] said the same, there’s not much the players can do in that situation. We can fight,” she mentioned.

“For me, when I had that night match against Marketa [Vondrousova] and that was because of the rain, I really fought for the not-before 2 a.m. time, that saved me the extra 30 minutes in the morning which means a lot in sleeping terms.

“It’s robust, as a result of, you recognize, the event is attempting to work with TV, and TV is working. There is loads of issues individuals do not understand. It’s not as straightforward as simply saying, ‘Let’s transfer all of the matches up,’ as a result of we nonetheless should promote our sport.”

Gauff and Rybakina aren’t the only players who have taken umbrage with the scheduling conflicts in recent weeks. World No. 1 Swiatek has also made her feelings clear, claiming that tennis authorities should “focus extra on what’s wholesome for gamers.”

Rybakina misplaced on the Western and Southern Open to Jasmine Paolini within the Round of 16. Gauff has since progressed to the ultimate after defeating Swiatek. The American will face both Karolína Muchová or Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday, Aug. 20.