The build-up to this year's WTA Finals has been marred by the late announcement of the timetable and host city.
But that isn't the only stain that appears to derail the tournament's plans of staging the most prestigious women's tennis event outside the four Grand Slams. Reports of the stadium being under construction have shocked many tennis fans, with just a few days remaining before the start of the tournament.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka gave an inexplicit reaction to the state of the playing conditions when she learned that only two practice courts were available and only one stringer was on site in a video she shared on her Instagram account.
Tennis buffs and critics have since seen the video and have shared their thoughts, with the majority of them painting a very negative outlook of the state of women's tennis and how it is being run.
Recently, reports of the WTA being in financial trouble came to light, but the CEO, Steve Simon, denied those shocking claims.
But after seeing the video that Sabalenka shared on her platform, one fan believes there might be some truth of the WTA being in financial disarray, saying, "Starting to think there may be some truth to the WTA being in trouble financially. This is unacceptable. Thank you for sharing."
Another commenter called it borderline a disaster and it makes a mockery of the decision-making to hand staging rights to a place without adequate tennis facilities. The comment read, "They announced Cancun 6 weeks ago! What a disaster! Also, it’s impossible to understand why a place that has no tennis facilities where they have to do everything in 6 weeks! Including stadium, practice courts, and venue."
One fan chimed in and stated that it is understandable for the tournament to have limited practice courts considering the smaller field of just eight competitors, to which Australian player Ellen Perez, who will play in doubles at the tournament, said, "8 singles and 8 doubles teams."
The discourse of WTA getting significantly lower viewing numbers as compared to their ATP counterparts is because of mismanagement as one fan wrote, "WTA is wondering why few people come to the matches? Well, here's another reason. Fans wonder if the event will actually happen in a stadium or in a school gymnasium. Who's going to purchase tickets & travel last minute?"
0 Comments