Players' association renews its attack on the tennis calendar after world No 1 Rybakina pulls out of the WTA Finals
The Professional Tennis Players Association on Monday renewed its criticism of the tennis schedule, saying defending champion and world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the season-ending WTA Finals because "her body had nothing left to give". Rybakina said on Saturday she was not physically ready to compete, with organisers citing a viral illness; she had also withdrawn from the Tokyo quarter-finals last month with a neck injury. The WTA did not immediately respond. On the men's side, Taylor Fritz said on Sunday the sport's brief off-season leaves players almost no time to recover.
Verified
World number one and defending champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete; the tournament's organisers cited a viral illness. She had also withdrawn from the Tokyo quarter-finals last month because of a neck injury.
Key points
- Rybakina, the defending champion and world No 1, withdrew on Saturday saying she was not physically ready; organisers cited a viral illness.
- The PTPA used her season — two Grand Slam titles, four titles overall — to argue the calendar leaves players empty by its final event.
- The WTA did not immediately respond; Fritz echoed the workload complaint from the men's tour.
What happened
The PTPA, founded in 2020 by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, has made the 11-month calendar a central complaint in its wider dispute with the tours, including antitrust lawsuits filed in 2025.
Both sides, in their own words
Both sides heard. Neither believed for free. Publishing a side's version is not endorsing it — the claim checks below are where verdicts live.
Side A · The PTPA and the players
- The PTPA: Rybakina finishes 2026 with two Grand Slam titles and four titles overall, and still, by the season's final event, her body had nothing left to give — players should not reach the biggest event of the year running on empty.
- Taylor Fritz: the tour is year-round with a one-month off-season at most, and taking it fully would leave no time to practise, so players in reality rest about two weeks.
Side B · The tours — the WTA and the ATP
- The WTA has previously said athlete welfare is a top priority and that it has listened to players' views on the calendar; it did not immediately respond to the PTPA's latest criticism.
- The ATP has said players retain choices over their own schedules and that it is working to create incentives for an appropriate number of matches during the season.
Independently verified
4 claims independently verified — listed in the claim-by-claim check below.Not yet verified
Nothing outstanding.§
Match facts — all verified
- ✓ VerifiedWorld number one and defending champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the WTA Finals on Saturday, saying she was not physically ready to compete; the tournament's organisers cited a viral illness. She had also withdrawn from the Tokyo quarter-finals last month because of a neck injury.Reuters — PTPA presses player fatigue concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals withdrawal (10 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe PTPA said on Monday: "She finishes 2026 with two Grand Slam titles and four titles overall. And still, by the season's final event in November, her body had nothing left to give," adding: "Players shouldn't reach the biggest event of the year running on empty. The PTPA continues to push for a season that leaves players healthy enough to finish it."Reuters — PTPA presses player fatigue concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals withdrawal (10 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedThe WTA Tour did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the PTPA's criticism. The tour has previously said athlete welfare is a top priority and that it has listened to players' views on the calendar.Reuters — PTPA presses player fatigue concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals withdrawal (10 Nov 2026)
- ✓ VerifiedAmerican Taylor Fritz said on Sunday that the brief off-season leaves players little chance to recover, with about a month off at most and, in practice, roughly two weeks of rest before training resumes. The ATP has said players retain choices over their schedules and that it is working on incentives for an appropriate number of matches.Reuters — PTPA presses player fatigue concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals withdrawal (10 Nov 2026)
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- The withdrawal, the reasons given for it, and what the PTPA, Rybakina and Fritz said.
What we don't know yet
- The WTA's response to the PTPA's latest criticism — none had been given in the reporting read.
- Whether the tours will change the calendar — no change was announced.