Paula Badosa reveals move WTA players made amid growing unhappiness with WTA

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Paula Badosa is applauding 2023 WTA Finals participants who spoke out against atrocious conditions in Cancun and also revealed that players created a WhatsApp group in which they discuss changes they would like to see on the WTA Tour. In Cancun, the participants very openly complained about the poor court conditions and they also made it clear that they weren't happy to play in tricky weather conditions. Aryna Sabalenka, who was the world No 1 during the WTA Finals, said she felt "unsafe" after her opening win in Cancun and called it "another disrespect by the WTA." Elena Rybakina also complained about the court conditions and weather, while Ons Jabeur said "this should never happen again." Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek also complained in Cancun about WTA's plans to increase the number of mandatory tournaments. “I think it's very good that they complained, because when we don't like something, we should say so. I think that until now there was a lack of unity between us, and that is not the case now. The players are not happy. We have a WhatsApp group in which we talk to see if we can change things in the WTA, because it can be improved. They are forcing us to play more and longer tournaments, and in the end we are in a cycle from which we cannot get out," Badosa told El Pais.

Badosa applauds fellow players for using their voice 

After exiting the WTA Finals, 2023 Australian Open champion Sabalenka urged the WTA to allow players to have a bigger voice in decision-making. "That’s the problem. They just announced it, and that’s it. Like some of the players just saw a tweet and were like ‘Okay, we’re playing in Cancun.’ It’s just like they made the decision and that’s it. That’s the problem. That they’re not asking all the players where they would like to play. I would like to be involved in these kind of decisions. I have to play here. Having this ability to control these decisions would be really helpful," Sabalenka said in Cancun. It remains to be seen if the WTA will change anything in their approach following the WTA Finals fiasco. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/iNFpM5c

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