By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Photo credit: Matthew Calvis
The WTA is creating an Architecture Council to address crammed calendar concerns of players.
WTA Chair Valerie Camillo announced the creation of the Council today. It will be chaired by 2024 US Open finalist Jessica Pegula with former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, WTA Players’ Council member Maria Sakkari and Katie Volynets and WTA Council Chair Anja Vreg all sitting on the Council.
The Council’s main aim will be to “develop actionable recommendations for consideration by the WTA Board that can be implemented as soon as the 2027 season,” Camillo said.
This announcement comes a couple of days after the WTA 1000 event in Dubai was hit by mass player withdraws. The world’s Top 2-ranked players, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, pulled out with Doha champion Karolina Muchova, Doha finalist Victoria Mboko, Doha semifinalist Maria Sakkari and Olympic gold-medal champion Zheng Qinwen all subsequently pulling out.
MORE: Mass Withdrawals From Dubai Spark Tournament Director Criticism
Those withdrawals prompted Dubai Tournament Director Salah Tahlak to call for harsher penalties for players who withdraw from WTA 1000 events.
“I think there should be a harsher punishment on the players [for withdrawing], not just fines; they should be docked ranking points,” Tahlak told Reem Abulleil of The National.
In her letter to players published on the WTA website, WTA Chair Camillo said the current calendar feels unsustainable for players therefore the Council has been created and tasked with the assignment of producing meaningful suggestions to create a sensible schedule that will not jeopardize the health of players.
“Over my first 90 days, there has been a clear sentiment across the Tour that the current calendar does not feel sustainable for players given the physical, professional and personal pressures of competing at the highest level,” Camillo said. “It’s important we take a fresh, collaborative look at how to best preserve the high-quality competition that builds value for tournaments and provides an unparalleled experience for fans.
“For this reason, today I am establishing the Tour Architecture Council, a representative working group convened by the WTA to develop meaningful improvements to the calendar, commitments and other core elements of the Tour framework.
“This group’s initial mandate is to develop actionable recommendations for consideration by the WTA Board that can be implemented as soon as the 2027 season. The Council will focus first on areas where the WTA has direct authority to drive change, while also identifying longer-term opportunities that will require broader coordination across the sport.”
Of course the congested calendar has been a hot button topic among players dating back to the 1970s. Back then, many stars skipped the Australian Open to create a longer offseason and because the AO did not offer as much prize money as other Grand Slams at that time.
So is today’s announcement a PR move to minimize some of the sting of the Dubai debacle? Or is the WTA Tour serious in its quest to potential streamline the schedule and create a safer and healthier calendar for players possibly starting as soon as 2027?
“Women’s tennis is a global growth engine for our sport, and the WTA is well-equipped to respond with clarity and purpose to today’s realities and help position the Tour for continued success,” Camillo said.
Read Valerie Camillo’s complete letter to players here.