Renew: 2/11/2023 10:34
Issued by: 11/2/2023, 10:34
Cancún (Mexico) – Management of the WTA Women’s Tennis Association has started to address complaints regarding the holding of the Tournament of Champions. According to the AP agency, WTA chairman Steve Simon informed the players about this in a letter.
The final event of the season in Cancun has been the target of criticism from the start. Tennis players including world number one Aryna Sabalenková of Belarus and Markéta Vondroušová drew attention to the poor surface of the court.
They also did not like the poor organization of the Tournament of Champions, which was assigned to Cancun only in September. That’s also why the area was completed just before the start of the tournament, and tennis players were able to practice on the courts for the first time the day before the tournament started.
World number two Iga Šwiateková became the latest person to call for improving conditions for women’s tennis live in Mexico. “We are not satisfied with some things,” said the Pole, who on Wednesday beat American Cori Gauff 6:0 and 7:5 and won the second duel in the group.
“I feel like everything revolves around the fact that someone wants more and more, but no one cares about our well-being and health anymore,” said the former world number one. “However, there are several things that the WTA can immediately improve without affecting the tournament,” added the four-time Grand Slam champion.
According to Šwiateková, the players are united in their stance against the WTA. “Me, Uns (Džábirová), Coco (Gauffová) and also the other girls who didn’t qualify here, we see it the same way and we stand behind each other,” she said.
“It’s clear to almost everyone that if we have more mandatory tournaments, that’s not good. That’s why we really want to be heard and advocate for change,” added the 22-year-old Polish woman.
Simon responded to the criticism with a letter stating that the WTA shares women’s players’ views on several issues and has begun to make improvements. Among other things, several working groups were formed consisting of members of the association management as well as representatives of the tournament and players’ council.
Their task, for example, is to check the composition of the calendar and the quality of service for female tennis players in tournaments. They will also handle increased marketing and promotion on social networks, as well as fluctuating ball quality in tournaments. The conclusion should be presented by mid-November.
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