The World Tennis League will return in December, and several top players, including Iga Swiatek, have been confirmed for the tournament.
Despite the length of the ATP and WTA calendars, many players choose to play in tennis exhibitions during the off-season. For example, Novak Djokovic will play Juan Martin Del Potro in his final ever match in December.
The number of players competing in exhibitions could raise eyebrows among some fans because many ATP and WTA stars have complained about the season being too long and intense, making injuries and burnout possible.
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek are two of the most notable names to express unhappiness with the calendar. Alcaraz admitted there have been occasions when he did not want to go to tournaments because it felt like one event too many.
Jannik Sinner was more diplomatic when asked about the schedule. The Italian told Alcaraz he does not have to play at every tournament, and players can plan their calendars to suit them.
Taylor Fritz defended Alcaraz's opinion and addressed those accusing players of hypocrisy by arguing that the intensity of exhibition events is not the same as that of ATP and WTA tournaments.
The World Tennis League, held in the United Arab Emirates, has been held in December each year since 2022. It is a mixed-gender tournament that uses a team format.
There are two men and two women each on the four teams at the event. The teams play each other in a round-robin format, which since 2023 has consisted of a men’s singles, a women’s singles, a men’s doubles, a women’s doubles, and a mixed doubles match.
Following the round-robin phase, the top two teams face off in the final. Since the event was first played in 2022, the four teams have been named the Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, and Kites.
Iga Swiatek has signed up for this year's iteration of the tournament. She is currently locked in a tight race to finish as the year-end world No. 1 with Aryna Sabalenka, who could overtake her after the Wuhan Open.
The tournament will be a useful opportunity for the Pole to build a closer relationship with her new coach. Swiatek recently announced that she had parted ways with her longtime coach of three years.
Sabalenka is also on the entry list for the World Tennis League. This year's Australian Open and US Open champion will be challenging to stop, although she did lose to Karolina Muchova at the China Open.
Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and this year's Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova are some of the other WTA stars who will feature in Abu Dhabi at the tournament.
Nick Kyrgios' attempted return to tennis is set to continue at the World Tennis League. The Australian played at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown earlier this year but has only played one ATP tournament in the last two years because of wrist and knee injuries.
Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz, and Hubert Hurkacz are other ATP players on the World Tennis League entry list.
| ATP Players | WTA Players |
|---|---|
| Daniil Medvedev | Iga Swiatek |
| Andrey Rublev | Aryna Sabalenka |
| Taylor Fritz | Elena Rybakina |
| Hubert Hurkacz | Jasmine Paolini |
| Casper Ruud | Barbora Krejcikova |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | Paula Badosa |
| Sumit Nagal | Mirra Andreeva |
| Nick Kyrgios | Caroline Garcia |