Due to the
delay in the construction of the stadium for the
WTA Finals, the PTPA, created
by Novak Djokovic to defend the rights of tennis players, traveled to assess
the poor progress of the stadium hosting the tournament.
The 2023
WTA Finals have become a highly controversial topic in recent days, even before
they have officially begun. The tournament is set to start on Sunday, October
29, and it has been surrounded by various controversies, from the late
construction of its facilities to the fact that only two training courts are
available for the top 8 players of the year.
Now,
another issue has arisen because, as of today, the players should have already
been training on the central court. However, they won't be able to do so until
Saturday, the day before the tournament begins.
The
Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) traveled to Cancun to confirm
the progress of the tournament's infrastructure, which is still in a deficient
state, less than 48 hours before the start of the Finals.
“Our Player
Relations team is in Cancun for the WTA Finals.”
A delay in
the construction works also directly affects the eight tennis players who will
be competing in these WTA Finals. Players like Iga Swiatek have had to practice
on the hotel's tennis courts where they are staying due to the impossibility of
training in a stadium that is still unprepared just five days before the
tournament.
This
situation has once again stirred up frustration in the world of tennis. It's
not the first time the WTA has encountered problems in preparing for the
Finals. Last year in Texas, they struggled to generate significant ticket
sales, and many matches were played in front of half-empty stands, a fact that
raises concerns for an event of this magnitude.