"Ridiculous schedule, they had no chance" - Fans blame 'brutal' WTA scheduling for Daria Kasatkina, Beatriz Haddad Maia & more's Qatar Open 1R losses

Tennis fans recently attributed the first-round losses of Daria Kasatkina, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and other players at the 2024 Qatar Open to the tight WTA scheduling.

Kasatkina arrived in Doha after finishing as the runner-up at the Abu Dhabi Open, where she suffered a 6-1, 6-4 defeat against Elena Rybakina. The Russian had to play in the first round at the Qatar Open within a mere 24 hours of her Abu Dhabi final.

Kasatkina subsequently fell to a 6-2, 7-6(2) loss in the first round against compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Doha. On the other hand, Haddad Maia, who had previously lost 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2) to Kasatkina in the Abu Dhabi Open semifinals, also suffered a defeat in her first-round match at the Qatar Open. She lost 6-1, 6-3 to Xinyu Wang.

Liudmila Samsonova also made it to the semifinals in Abu Dhabi, where she lost to eventual champion Elena Rybakina, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2. She then went on to lose her first-round match in Doha to Leylah Fernandez 7-5, 7-6(4).

All three aforementioned players — Daria Kasatkina, Beatriz Haddad Maia, and Liudmila Samsonova — suffered straight-set losses in their first-round matches at the Qatar Open.

Tennis fans expressed their discontent with the WTA's decision to schedule two tournaments in such close proximity, which may have had a detrimental impact on the players' physical well-being. Venting their frustrations on social media, fans criticized the WTA for their poor scheduling choices.

One fan labeled the WTA's scheduling as "ridiculous", stating that it makes it exceedingly challenging for players to compete against opponents who are more rested.

"@WTA he's talking to you. Absolutely ridiculous how they made this schedule, they had no chance against fresher opponents," a fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan expressed their dissatisfaction with the WTA schedule, stating that it was "brutal" and that the WTA could have made improvements in their scheduling approach.

"That Schedule is brutal. WTA should have done better," the fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

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Daria Kasatkina: "It's terrible scheduling honestly"

Daria Kasatkina at the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai

Speaking at a press conference during the recently concluded Abu Dhabi Open, Daria Kasatkina expressed her strong disapproval of the WTA schedule. Specifically, she expressed her dismay at the close proximity of the Abu Dhabi Open final and the first-round match at the 2024 Qatar Open.

The Russian also questioned the individuals responsible for the scheduling, asking whether they had taken into consideration the physical well-being of the players when creating such a demanding tour schedule.

"It's terrible scheduling, honestly. I have a question, I don't know to who, to WTA or the tournaments, like, are you guys trying to make players die, or to get injured often?" asked Daria Kasatkina (via France24).

Kastkina emphasized the importance of communication between the schedule makers and the players, urging them to prioritize the physical and mental well-being of the players when creating the schedule.

"We're players, we're humans and we're trying to do our job the best we can. But under the circumstances it's not very easy," Kasatkina added. "Step on the court the same day, after playing five matches at the highest level. So I'm sorry but that's something we have to talk about and consider."