Chris Evert Takes a Veiled Swipe at the WTA as She Reveals a 2024 Wish in Favor of ‘Champions’

The 68-year-old American tennis legend, Chris Evert professed her wish for next year. She recently highlighted the issues that the players faced at the season-ending championship in Cancun. Evert wishes for better management by the WTA in the 51-year-old prestigious tournament. Several players voiced their anger and frustration over the multiple off-court issues they had to overcome to get themselves engaged in the ultimate fight on the court in Cancun.  

Iga Swiatek clinched her maiden WTA Finals this year and with this win, she had also secured her top spot by the end of this year. She has now achieved this feat two times in a row. But the journey to the summit wasn’t so easy. She had to overcome the harsh weather conditions in Cancun to get a bite at the cherry. Like the players even the legends of the game expressed their discontentment about the organisation of WTA Finals 2023.

Chris Evert has a wish regarding the WTA Finals 2024

The American former world number one in tennis and 18 Grand Slam titles holder shared her desire to WTA recently. She said, ‘One of my 2024 wishes is that the WTA Finals gets a great venue that champions, respects, and supports women. Because the most successful woman’s sport in the world deserves that…‘ 

The late announcement of the venue for the WTA Finals this year raised the eyebrows of many in the tennis world. Cancun was chosen as the venue less than two months before the commencement of the tournament on October 29. This resulted in delays in the construction of courts and other practice facilities.

Players had to wait till the last hour to get a practice session before the match. The $9 M tournament was then decided to be held on a temporary court which is built atop a golf course. This made the courts uneven and balls bounced oddly off the surface. There were several other controversies that took place in the Yucatan Peninsula. Chris Evert doesn’t want a repetition of this year’s mistake.

Chris Evert asked for showing respect to the top talents in women’s sports and she feels that this is the bare minimum the WTA must do for the racket sport. There were complaints of rain delays, windy conditions, tight schedules, and uneven court.

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However, after several complaints from the leading players about the WTA event in Cancun, WTA finally admitted that this year’s event wasn’t a perfect one. Let’s find out some reactions of the tennis divas in Cancun.

Acceptance and adaptation seemed the only way out of Cancun

Several players reacted to the situations they faced in Cancun at the WTA Finals. The former world number one, Aryna Sabalenka was the most vocal out of them. She criticized the conditions of the court which would host such a prestigious event. Sabalenka went on to add that players felt disrespected by the standard of the organization at this year-end event.

Even, current world number one and 4 time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova criticized the playing condition, The world number 4, Elena Rybakina also felt that the court wasn’t a good one to host such a big tournament.

Earlier Saudi Arabia had expressed their desire to host this year’s WTA Finals. The Arab nation as a host for women’s events has always been a controversial topic. Especially after the reports of the country’s women and LGBTQ rights.

However, it didn’t happen this year. But with only a year contract with Cancun has made the door open for the Saudis in 2024. Can Saudi Arabia get the upper hand this time amid all these controversies or we’ll see yet another series of complaints next year?

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