The heat of competition at the Cincinnati Open is hotting up, both on and off the court, as Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert demonstrated this week when he called out Iga Swiatek’s perceived special treatment.
Gilbert stirred controversy by questioning the scheduling of the tournament appears to favor world No. 3 Iga Swiatek, leading to a wave of fan pushback in defense of the Polish player.
Gilbert took to social media after Swiatek was scheduled to play first on Center Court at 11:00 ET, tweeting: “You don’t even have to look at schedule and know Iga pops on first at 11 am. Wonder if her team ask for that or just happens that way a lot.”
Despite the seemingly innocuous nature of the remark, it raised eyebrows and red flags alike-prompting fans to interpret it as an insinuation that Swiatek receives special treatment from tournament organizers.
WTA star agrees with scheduling bias claim
Players across the tour have increasingly voiced frustration over grueling match schedules and tight turnarounds-like Anna Kalinskaya, who confronted the issue head-on after she had to face Swiatek at 11:00 ET. following a grueling match that ended in the early hours.
“How can the WTA and tournament expect athletes to perform their best when the scheduling is this unfair?” Kalinskaya questioned. “After my match… I didn’t get enough sleep… then scheduled at 11 a.m.? Seems a bit one sided.”
But Gilbert’s tweet broke from the emotional plea and steered into territory that fans found unnecessary. Many dismissed his insinuation, accusing him of trying to ruffle feathers rather than shedding light on a legitimate bias.
One fan added: “Sleep is key for peak performance… scheduling matches so quickly after a late finish isn’t fair,” aligning with concern for athlete welfare, but not swinging toward favoritism.
Not the first time Gilbert gets involved
Gilbert has never been one to shy away from pointed commentary-his criticism of Swiatek’s dominant Wimbledon final or remarks about opponents’ habits have previously triggered backlash. The fact Gauff did not contribute to the debate says a lot.
But this episode highlights a unique tension: fans will support athlete wellness arguments-but drawing lines toward conspiratorial favoritism still crosses the line.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes remain on how scheduling fairness and transparency become part of tennis’ broader conversation.
Gilbert’s tweet may have overshadowed a deeper concern about recovery in the modern tour, but the overwhelming backlash shows that most fans aren’t buying into the idea that authority is leaning heavily one way.
In the end, the debate reveals more about fan loyalty than scheduling logic-and underscores how thin the line remains between real critique and perceived disrespect.
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