WTA “accepts responsibility” for “challenging conditions” in Cancun

The remarks were made in a letter from WTA chief executive Steve Simon to the players competing in the WTA Finals

Aryna Sabalenka WTA Finals 2023 Zuma/Panoramic

November 3, 2023

The WTA has said, in a letter leaked to Sports Illustrated, that it takes responsibility for the poor conditions at the WTA Finals taking place in Cancun this week, and has indicated there will be a series of significant changes to the management of the tour as a result.

Steve Simon, the chief executive of the WTA, made the concession in a letter to the players competing at the Finals this week.

The season-ending tournament has been dogged by criticism from players and fans about the standard of the facilities and the experience provided to the players.

Steve Simon takes responsibility after a shambolic WTA Finals

One issue was the quality of the courts themselves, with the centre court bounce appearing to be inconsistent and the stadium only opening for practice on the day before the finals began.

The decision to hold what is one of the WTA’s biggest events in Cancun was only made in September, after the expectation that the tournament would be held in Saudi Arabia did not come to fruition.

Because of this late announcement, marketing and promotion for the event was limited for the second year in a row, and meant that the construction of a temporary stadium was only completed a day before the Finals were due to take place.

Simon said that the late selection of Cancun as the host city for event was “based on a number of complicated factors.”

Sabalenka has been vocal in her frustration with the standard of the courts in Cancun

Following two face-to-face meetings with the players and a letter sent to Simon from some of the tour’s leading players, it appears the level of discontent has now been recognised by the WTA.

“It is clear you are not happy with the decision to be here in Cancun. I understand that and you have been heard,” wrote Simon, thanking the players for attending the recent meetings in Mexico.

“It is not a perfect event, we understand the conditions are a challenge and the WTA accepts responsibility for that.”

Reforms promised as level of discontent becomes impossible to ignore

The issues at the WTA Finals come at the end of a highly contentious year in which the WTA has come under repeated criticism for its management of certain aspects of tour life, including controversies around pay disparities with the ATP and repeated calls for scheduling reform to mitigate against late-night finishes.

In response to this, as well as responding to the immediate frustration surrounding the Finals in Cancun, Simon has promised to consider several of the other issues that were raised in the players’ joint letter to the chief executive.

These include reconsidering the number of mandatory events players must compete in next year, a Player Survey that will be introduced at the end of each event from 2024 onwards, and a commitment to open discussions about whether to provide players with a guaranteed annual minimum income (something which the ATP have recently adopted).

The WTA have also underlined the need for greater consistency in the brand of tennis balls used between events as an immediate concern, as well as committing to more widespread social media promotion of the tour.

A troubled year for the WTA comes to a head in Cancun

While these commitments are likely to be welcomed by the tour’s players, it remains to be seen whether these indicate substantial changes in the WTA’s management of the tour, or whether they are more vague assurances intended to quell some of the immediate disquiet.

Whatever the case, it has become quite evident that many players feel they are coming to the end of their patience with the current state of the WTA and the way it is managed.

If the same old grievances start cropping up again next season, then the level of player discontent may exceed that of just of a strongly worded letter.