Gilbert baffled by colourful choice for ATP and WTA group names

An ex-coach of the former world number one America’s Andre Agassi, Brad Gilbert, has questioned the WTA and ATP for naming the groups in the Finals based on colours. The mega events, which are the last high-profile competitions in both women's and men’s calendars, are scheduled to be organised in the month of November.

The women’s event, the WTA Finals, is already underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the first time ever. It features the top eight players, who are divided into two groups: Orange and Purple. On the other hand, the men’s event, which will also feature eight players, will be held in Turin, Italy, from November 10 to 17.

Ex-coach of the former world number one Agassi, who has also recently coached America’s young sensation Coco Gauff, in a post on his official account on the social media platform X — previously known as Twitter — where he questioned both ATP and WTA the reason behind naming the groups for such competition based on colours. He believed that it would have been better if the groups were named after former great players.

"I don’t get why @atptour @WTA name the groups for year-end championships for colors,” he wrote. "In Saudi Arabia we are going the purple and orange groups, so beyond obvious to name the groups after former great players. Such a tank by the tour to go colors. Honestly don’t get it.”

In the ongoing WTA Finals, Group Orange consists of the world number two Poland’s Iga Swiatek, one-time Grand Slam winner and third-ranked Gauff, US Open 2024 runner-up Jessican Pegula of the USA and the Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova. On the other hand, Group Purple consist of the world number one and three-time Grand Slam winner Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Grand Slam runner-up Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and 2024 Australian Open runner-up China’s Qinwen Zheng.