28 seed this January, said that it is “very difficult to be scheduling women’s matches after a potential five-set match” in her pre-tournament news conference Saturday. Women receive equal prize money, so they should play under the same conditions, including potentially playing late matches. A women’s match going long can also make a men’s match late. If the women’s match takes place first, there is a far better chance that they will stay and watch at least part of the men’s match that comes after it. Then the match doesn’t finish, and there is a whole other set, or perhaps two to play.

Source: New York Times January 18, 2026 00:41 UTC