Instead, Swiatek has travelled to Seoul for the Korea Open WTA<\/a> 500 event, where she will compete as the number-one seed.<\/p>\n The Pole has been vocal about the hectic WTA schedule in recent times, and Swiatek claimed the season was \u2018super long\u2019<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n With those comments in mind, perhaps Swiatek would be wise to listen to what former Grand Slam finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova<\/a> has just said.<\/p>\n Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova says WTA players need to be \u2018smarter\u2019 with their scheduling moves<\/p>\n Appearing as a guest on \u2018Bolshe!\u2019, 2021 French Open<\/a> finalist Pavlyuchenkova had this to say about players competing in Korea.<\/p>\n \u201cAll the girls are complaining and groaning in the changing rooms, \u2018What a [long] season\u2019, and then I see everyone is already in Korea,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re already starting to play. I think\u2026 You literally just complained about the season, and now you\u2019ve already flown away. Why?<\/p>\n \u201cBe smarter with your schedule, right? Yet everyone still plays.\u201d<\/p>\n Swiatek isn\u2019t the only one playing in Seoul, as several other big names have joined her in the South Korean capital.<\/p>\n Top eight seeds at the 2025 Korea Open1. Iga Swiatek2. Ekaterina Alexandrova3. Clara Tauson4. Daria Kasatkina5. Diana Shnaider6. Beatriz Haddad Maia7. Sofia Kenin8. Emma Raducanu<\/p>\n Pavlyuchenkova explained why the Asian swing of events is particularly difficult for players on tour.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult for me, and it\u2019s not even a matter of age at all, because when I was 25 or 26, it was still hard for me. You fly in from America, adapt both in time and conditions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are different balls at each tournament. In Beijing, for example, I think it was Penn, in Tokyo, Srixon, and in Hong Kong, there were Wilson balls.\u201d<\/p>\n Such contrasting conditions can increase the risk of injury, which would be a disaster for a player like Swiatek, who continues to chase down Aryna Sabalenka<\/a> for the world number one ranking.<\/p>\n However, while it\u2019s easy to criticize Swiatek for playing in Korea, did she really have a choice?<\/p>\n Did Iga Swiatek need to play the Korea Open?<\/p>\n Players on the WTA Tour are required to compete in six WTA 500 tournaments every year (five if including the United Cup).<\/p>\n If they fail to do so, their ranking will suffer as a result, thanks to the rules implemented by officials.<\/p>\n \u201cAny zero (0) ranking point results received from a WTA 500 Commitment Tournament must count on a player\u2019s ranking.\u201d<\/p>\n 2025 WTA Rulebook<\/p>\n![\"Iga](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2231847856-1024x630.jpg\")
Photo by Robert Prange\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Iga](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/GettyImages-2232952557-1024x683.jpg\")
Photo by Foto Olimpik\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n