'Doesn't Seem Fair': Swiatek's Scheduling Advantage Over Rybakina Raises Eyebrows

Monday, 18 August 2025 at 17:15

byErik Virostko

Iga Swiatek reached her maiden Cincinnati Open final after beating Elena Rybakina in the semi-finals, but some questioned the advantage she had during the match.

Swiatek had previously reached two semi-finals in Cincinnati. In 2023, she lost to Coco Gauff, and last year, Aryna Sabalenka beat her. This year, the Polish player outplayed Elena Rybakina at the WTA 1000 event to set up the final against Jasmine Paolini.

Like all of Swiatek's previous matches, her match against Rybakina was scheduled at the earliest possible time. The Polish player's first match against Anastasia Potapova was played at 11 a.m. local time, and so were her fourth-round match against Sorana Cirstea and quarter-final match against Anna Kalinskaya.

Swiatek then played her semi-final match against Rybakina at 1 p.m., which was two hours later than her previous matches, but still in the earliest possible slot in the schedule.

Rybakina, on the other hand, played only one match at a similar time. Her quarter-final against Aryna Sabalenka started at 1 p.m. as well. Prior to that, the Kazakhstani player started at 5 p.m. in her first match against Renata Zarazua, at 10 p.m. against Elise Mertens, and at 6:30 p.m. against Madison Keys.

The conditions at night are different from those during the day, which is why Lindsay Davenport, who was doing the commentary on the match, called out the advantage that Swiatek was given thanks to the scheduling.

"Both matches against [Elise] Mertens and [Madison] Keys, both at night [for Elena Rybakina]. I don't believe [Iga] Swiatek ever played even in the late afternoon. I believe she was early every single day. You get used to these conditions. That's when it doesn't seem totally fair."

Davenport wasn't the only one who called this out during the tournament. Coco Gauff's former coach, Brad Gilbert, previously posted on X (formerly Twitter) that even without looking at the schedule, he knows Swiatek would play the earliest match.

"You don’t even have to look at the schedule and know Iga pops on first at 11 a.m. Wonder if her team asks for that or just happens that way a lot."

Gilbert wondered whether it was just a coincidence or if Swiatek's team asked for such a schedule. The Polish player has previously stated that she doesn't like to play night matches, so it's very possible that it's her request.

Swiatek to challenge for World No. 2 spot in the Cincinnati Open final

Swiatek recently fell down in the WTA Rankings as a result of failing to defend her points in Madrid, Rome, and at Roland Garros. But after winning at Wimbledon, she has started her climb up the rankings, and now, she can return to the World No. 2 position ahead of the US Open.

If Swiatek wins her final match against Jasmine Paolini, she will become the World No. 2 player again, even though her gap to the first Aryna Sabalenka will still be over 3,000 points. Ahead of the final, the Pole briefly spoke about Paolini, and it seems that she isn't afraid of the challenge ahead.

"Jasmine, she also plays fast, but with a lot of spin, and she has a lot of variety in terms of going to the net as well. I think I'm gonna have to prepare tactically, but honestly, I'm just gonna kind of focus on myself."