Azarenka Calls on Tennis Organisers 'Innovate' Scheduling to Attract Audiences
WTAWednesday, 05 July 2023 at 19:00
Updated at Tuesday, 12 August 2025 at 15:31
Victoria Azarenka has welcomed changes in women's clothing rules at this year's Wimbledon, but the Belarusian has pressured event organisers to do more to improve the sport's appeal.
One of the biggest changes to the rules at Wimbledon this year was to allow women's players to wear different coloured underwear, shifting from the traditional all-white. Generally, the move was well received among the top players in the WTA and it showed the shifting attitudes of the usually strict Wimbledon rule makers and organisers.
Two-time Grand Slam winner Azarenka is the latest player to react to the rule change, which she was grateful for. However, the Belarusian player now wants to see other ways in which tennis organisers could become more flexible to make the game easier to follow.
"I appreciate the non-full-white rule for the girls. I think that was an important step. I think that's very thoughtful. I don't need to change that, I think the traditions are good, but we do want to innovate sometimes, so I think with the rule of scheduling, there will be couple of things that could be adjusted. For me, that would be that one."
"For me, the important part is, to grow our sport, is to be able to have a bit more predictability with the scheduling that it's going to be easier for people to follow."
In particular, Azarenka pointed to the length of matches in tennis, which can exclude some spectators due to the unknown length. Moreover, the 33-year-old said such changes would market tennis effectively and show good business for the sport.
"I feel like if that takes maybe to shorten the matches a little bit and have more, when people come, like, okay, I come to the match, it's going to be from hour and a half to two hours, and then the switch,”
"I feel like that will bring a little bit more marketing opportunities, and it will help grow our sport. I know people say, well, lose the five sets and the marathon matches? It's a debatable thing, but from a business standpoint, from growing our sport, I feel like it could be a pretty good one."
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