Aryna Sabalenka criticizes the organization of the Miami Open after controversial decision.

Aryna Sabalenka, the dominant force in women’s tennis and current world number one, did not hide her outrage after the tumultuous scheduling of her first-round match at the 2026 Miami Open. The Belarusian player expressed that she was “really shocked” by the tournament organizers’ decision regarding her match, which was ultimately moved from the main court to the Butch Buchholz court due to adverse weather conditions.

In her last encounter, Sabalenka overcame world number 39, Ann Li, with a score of 7-6(5), 6-4, in a WTA 1000 event that, like many others, was severely affected by rain. The day of competition began with a series of cancellations and delays, culminating in the suspension of several matches, which led to the rescheduling of hers.

During the press conference, the athlete revealed that the organizers gave her the option to postpone her match to Saturday or play it on another court. “Well, I was really shocked that they were considering canceling my match or giving me some stadium options,” said Sabalenka. The Belarusian did not hesitate to question the logic behind the decision: “But what’s the problem for [Carlos] Alcaraz and [João] Fonseca to start later? Because the night session started at nine, and then Mirra [Andreeva] was playing.”

Sabalenka continued to express her feelings about the situation: “I was really shocked by the idea of even canceling my match. But I decided to play today, so that if I win, I would have a day off to prepare and recharge.” The player also reflected on the uniqueness of the situation: “I think I’ve never gone through something like this, so it’s a new experience for me. I don’t remember anything like it. I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal to play and then wait for the night session.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion did not hold back criticism of the tournament management and her own experience. When asked about the possibility of playing on the main court, Sabalenka noted the complexity of the situation: “It’s complicated because Alcaraz was playing, so it’s like there are two number ones… and what they should do. I’m just happy that I had options.”

Now, the Belarusian is preparing to face the world number 72, Caty McNally, in the third round of the Miami Open, while the controversy surrounding the tournament’s scheduling continues to be a hot topic of discussion. What more will be needed to ensure that top athletes receive the treatment they deserve at major events like this? The pressure is on the organizers to learn from this situation and prevent it from happening again in the future.