Elena Rybakina 'destroyed' by Canadian Open scheduling, bemoans 'weak' WTA leadership, may change pre-US Open plans
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Published 14/08/2023 at 16:50 GMT
Elena Rybakina expressed her frustration at the timing of her matches at the Canadian Open after finishing her quarter-final at 3am and then seeing her semi-final delayed by a day due to rain. Rybakina said she was left "destroyed" by the scheduling and may now rethink her plans ahead of the US Open as she needs to "evaluate the small injuries" which she now has.
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Elena Rybakina says she felt “destroyed” by the scheduling at the Canadian Open and accused the WTA leadership of being "a little bit weak".
The world No. 4 beat Daria Kastakina in a quarter-final which lasted three hours and 27 minutes and finished at 3am local time in Montreal on Saturday morning.
Rybakina's semi-final against Liudmila Samsonova was then delayed until Sunday because of rain.
Rybakina wore strapping on her shoulder as she was beaten in three sets by Samsonova, who returned two hours later and lost in the final in just 49 minutes to Jessica Pegula.
"I'm not really happy about it, but it is what it is," said Rybakina about the scheduling.
"I feel destroyed because of the scheduling and the whole situation.
"Unfortunately, players can't do much in these situations. The decision isn't really ours. The weather wasn't helpful. So I picked up some injuries, but we tried to manage it and see how we'll go from that."
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina was critical of the WTA rather than the tournament for the scheduling.
"Hopefully it's the last time, because it's been a bit unprofessional from the…I can't say really the tournament, because I think that the most important is the WTA here," she said.
"Leadership a little bit weak for now, but hopefully something is going to change, because this year it was many situations which I can't really understand."
Rybakina is currently entered into this week’s Cincinnati Open, which is another WTA 1000 event.
However, with the US Open later this month, she added: “I have to see how I feel and evaluate the small injuries which I have now.
"I have to be smart in making any decision."
Samsonova also expressed her frustration with having such little time to recover between her semi-final and final.
“Honestly, I would love to have more time, but they said that it’s not possible,” she said.
“I didn’t have time to regenerate because I was to the physio room trying to tape all my body, and it takes one hour for this. I was out of the court and then again in, it was strange.
“It’s strange that the people doesn’t care so much about us. If you know that [it will rain], you must make a schedule where it’s possible to play, because we already made two matches in one day.
“So you have to try to do the best to not play two matches in another day. This is my opinion.”
Pegula acknowledged after the 6-1 6-0 win in the final that Samsonova had been dealt a tough hand.
"I know scheduling wasn’t in her favour. It sucks when you feel like you’re not on a really fair playing ground, especially someone like her who is such a great player."
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