"This is complete b*llshit, of course they have no money" - Daria Kasatkina slams WTA for restricting top 10 players from 250 events

Russian tennis star Daria Kasatkina has voiced outrage at the WTA rule by which top 10 players are restricted from competing at 250-level tournaments.

The World No. 11 recently appeared on a video for her girlfriend Natalia Zabiiako's YouTube channel, which captured their time in Palermo, Italy. Kasatkina was competing at the 2023 Palermo Open, a 250-level tournament.

In the video, the Russian No. 1 criticized the Women's Tennis Association for limiting how many top 10 players can play at a single WTA 250 event.

Kasatkina highlighted that the WTA only allows one top 10 player at 250 events and opined that this rule hinders the ability of tournaments to attract fans and sponsors, which in turn leads to a lack of financial support and growth. The Russian pointed out that the ATP does not impose such a restriction in their 250 tournaments (allowing two top 10 players to participate), thereby allowing top-ranked stars to help tournaments prosper.

"Here at WTA 250 top 10 players are not allowed at all. There are very strict rules about how many WTA 250 top 10 players can play. That's why it is very difficult for these tournaments to survive. I just don't understand these stupid rules. They are only in WTA, not in ATP. In WTA, forbidden to play WTA 250 for the top 10, only 2 per year, maximum," Daria Kasatkina said.

"I don't understand how do these tournaments make money if they can't invite any top famous players. So they say that 250 category tournaments have no money. Of course, they have no money, they can't generate it. They don't help them."

Moreover, every top 10 WTA player can only compete at two 250-level events in one year, a rule Kasatkina found to be ridiculous.

"I just don't understand. If you are top 10, you can play two WTA 250 tournaments a year, and only if there are no other top 10 in these tournaments. So there can only be one top 10 player on one WTA 250."

"Because in ATP, all these small tournaments, I mean category 250, they can two top 10 players. And people will come, they will watch, there will be broadcasts. There will be life in tournaments. Of course, if no one players at all. No one is allowed to play. Nothing like that will happen. But they only make it worse," Daria Kasatkina said.

Daria Kasatkina went on to slam the new WTA rules that will be implemented in the 2024 season, which put more restrictions on the participation of top 30 players at 250 tournaments.

"Everyone knows about the new calendar. I think starting next year, the top 30 cannot play WTA 250, only WTA 500. This is complete bullshit."

Daria Kasatkina loses to Jasmine Paolini in Palermo Open QF

Daria Kasatkina

Daria Kasatkina was the top seed at the 2023 Palermo Open. She was also the only top 20 player competing at Palermo, which was scheduled right after the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. China's Qinwen Zheng, ranked World No. 25, was the No. 2 seed.

Kasatkina's stay at Palermo was ended by home favorite Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, on July 21. Before losing to Paolini, Kasatkina defeated Martina Trevisan in the first round and Tatiana Prozorova in the second round.

The former World No. 8 hoped to break her 2023 title drought at Palermo, but it wasn't to be.

The closest Daria Kasatkina has come to winning a title in 2023 was at the Adelaide International 2 in January, where she lost to Belinda Bencic in the final. The Russian also reached the Eastbourne Open final, just before Wimbledon, but Madison Keys got the better of her in that match.