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BILLIE JEAN KING TAKES ISSUE WITH ŚWIĄTEK AND ALCARAZ STANCE



Former world No.1 Billie Jean King admits "It's a tough argument to listen to players" following Iga Świątek and Carlos Alcaraz's viewpoint concerning tight scheduling implications on welfare.


One of the main talking points about the professional tennis tour is exhibition tournaments suffocating the calendar.


Earlier this year, five-time major winner Iga Świątek voiced her concerns on the current trajectory of packed schedules, admitting it will decrease the quality of high-level performances.


However, she wasn't alone, as Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz also vented his frustration on the matter, mentioning how the sport's governing bodies "are going to kill us."


Despite not favouring the schedule, Alcaraz participated in the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition tournament, reaching the final against Italy's Jannik Sinner.


During the inaugural event in Saudi Arabia, the 21-year-old was open and honest about the A$9.2 million prize money pool acting as a motivation.


"I love playing tennis. Most of the time, I don't think about the money. I just play for love or fun. But you have to be realistic. You have to think that you want to earn money, and that's it," Alcaraz told reporters. "In Arabia [they have] the highest prize money ever... so that was a good motivation, at least for me."


But the recent noise from players sharing their discontent doesn't sit well with King, who struggles to sympathise with those who choose money over rest and recovery.


"It’s so interesting how they always complain it’s too much. They’ve been doing this forever by the way – but then they get a month off and they go play exhibitions. You guys said you needed the rest," she told BBC Sport.


"Don’t tell me you think the season is too long. I know if there’s enough money you go and you play. It’s a really tough argument for me to listen to the players."



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