Sabalenka may avoid championships in Dubai after ridiculous' comment

"I think it's ridiculous, Sabalenka said during her pre-tournament press conference at the Miami Open. I don't think he showed himself in the best way possible. For me it's actually so sad to see that the tournament directors and the tournaments are not protecting us as a player. They just care about their sellings, about their tournament and that's it."

"Going into this season, we decided we were going to prioritise my health and make sure that we have these little gaps in the schedule where I can just reset, recharge, work and be better prepared for bigger tournaments. I feel like scheduling is going crazy and I feel like that's why you see so many players are injured, always taped and not delivering the best quality matches."

"I think there should be a harsher punishment on the players, not just fines, they should be docked ranking points. In her press conference on Tuesday at the Miami Open, however, the women's No 1 said her decision not to compete in February was based on her determination to remain physically and mentally sound in a crazy tennis schedule."

Aryna Sabalenka expressed strong disapproval of Dubai Tennis Championships director Salah Tahlak's criticism following her and Iga Swiatek's withdrawals from the tournament. Tahlak had advocated for harsher penalties including ranking point deductions for top players who withdraw late. Sabalenka defended her decision, explaining she withdrew from both Dubai and Doha in February to prioritize her physical and mental health amid an demanding tennis schedule. She argued that tournaments prioritize commercial interests over player welfare. Sabalenka's strategic break proved beneficial, as she subsequently won the Indian Wells title for the first time, validating her approach to managing the grueling professional schedule.

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