Daria Kasatkina
Russian tennis player Daria Kasatkina trolls former player Kamil Patel – here’s everything you need to know
Daria Kasatkina criticized former tennis player Kamil Patel for urging players to stop complaining, using her recent late-night match against Elena Rybakina at the National Bank Canadian Open in Montreal as an example. Ranked 13th in the world, Kasatkina is among several players affected by scheduling choices recently. In her quarter-final at the WTA 1000 event in Canada, she faced 4th-ranked Rybakina.
The match was postponed due to poor weather conditions and extended until nearly 3 am. The match turned into a strenuous three-set struggle lasting three and a half hours, ultimately resulting in Rybakina’s 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(8) victory. Following the match, Rybakina expressed feeling ‘destroyed’.
“I’m feeling completely worn out due to the scheduling and the overall circumstances. I’m not particularly pleased with the situation, but I understand that it’s the way things are,” Rybakina remarked. Following this, numerous players, including the top-ranked Iga Swiatek and Victoria Azarenka, have stepped forward to express their discontent and reservations about the scheduling decisions made by the WTA. Kasatkina has now joined the growing list of players criticizing the women’s tennis governing body.
Former Mauritian tennis player Kamil Patel expressed his views on Twitter, suggesting that players should focus on playing matches rather than complaining. Patel, aged 44, responded to a tweet quoting Azarenka’s criticism of the scheduling at the Cincinnati Open this week. Azarenka stated, “This is the only sport in the world where you don’t know when you’re going to play… It’s ridiculous as a player and as a fan. I don’t know which matches I’m going to watch because I have no clue, unless you’re very fanatical. But we need to attract a larger audience to our sport.” In reply, Patel tweeted, “Can players please stop complaining and just focus on playing?”
Upon seeing Patel’s comment, Kasatkina responded sarcastically to underscore the challenges of playing matches within the framework of the current scheduling. She tweeted, “Looking forward to meeting you on the court at 3am, and remember, no complaining allowed!!!” Since then, Kasatkina’s tweet has gained significant attention and has ignited a new discussion among Twitter users. A majority of fans appear to express their support for Kasatkina’s stance, although a few believe that players should focus solely on their game and allow the authorities to handle the scheduling matters.
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