The WTA Final in Cancun have remained on the verge of slipping into chaos all week and the event got close to a total collapse on Saturday and to the disappointment of many it damaged the prestige of one of the biggest event on the women’s side of tour.
Jessica Pegula surged past US open winner Coco Gauff in straight sets to secure a spot in the championship match as she saw off her doubles partner 6-2, 6-1. The 29-year will now wait to know her opponent which will be the winner of WTA #1 Aryna Sabalenka and WTA #2 Iga Swiatek as their semifinal was suspended after just four games of the first set because of heavy rains.
Before the rains rolled the match, the Pole was leading 2-1 with Sabalenka serving at 30-all. The duo could be seen wrapping their bodies in towels as they battled with brutal weather conditions. The organizers waited and as result made players await for two hours before the play resumed. Eventually, the match was suspended because of the unfavorable conditions.
The player received a double tap as the substandard court in Cancun conditions were coupled by the chaotic winds that were breaking umbrellas continuing to add to their concerns. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has declared that WTA executive Steve Simon should step down after the failure of the event.
A number of players participating at the event ripped into Mexican organizers and WTA for the worst possible management, forcing Simon to formally issue an apology for the cruelty of conditions faced by the WTA stars.
“It is clear you are not happy with the decision to be here in Cancún. I understand that and you have been heard,” he stated.
“It is not a perfect event, we understand the conditions are a challenge and the WTA accepts responsibility for that.”
While according to Amazon Prime, Simon has rejected calls for an interview to discuss the reasons behind hosting the year-end championships in Mexico at the time when the country was bracing for a catastrophic hurricane. Navratilova, an 18-time singe winner believes Simon as WTA head should resign for his role in decision.
“Maybe it’s time for a new leadership but for me personally,” said Navratilova.
“Being a women’s association, I’ve been involved for such a long time from the beginning and we’ve only had three women at the head of it. I think it’s time.
“Hopefully, when we get a new leader it’s a woman first of all because there’s plenty of them that are qualified for the job. I know one particularly.
“But anyway, we’ll see what happens but it’s going to be hard I think for Steve to stay in the job somehow because things are just everything’s pointing the other way right now.”
While the prize money on offer is huge for the top eight ladies taking part in the event amid bleak weather forecasts, the poor court and the inevitable rain delays during the hurricane season in Mexico put serous question marks on the selection of venue for the event in November.
“I have to say that I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals. As a player, I feel really disrespected by the WTA. I think most of us do,” said world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
“This is not the level of organisation we expect for the Finals. To be honest, I don’t feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time, the bounce is not consistent at all, and we weren’t able to practise on this court until yesterday for the first time,” said Czech-American while talking to Amazon Prime
“It’s just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake.”
The calls for Simon to step down may grow in the coming days as the disastrous WTA Finals in Cancun coming seem to be a repeat of last year’s hastily arranged and poorly attended season-concluding championships in Fort Worth, Texas.