Victoria Azarenka sees positive in WTA Finals move to Saudi Arabia: "More kids pick up racquets, more kids get inspired"
WTAFriday, 05 April 2024 at 12:30
Victoria Azarenka defeated Taylor Townsend and will now face Jessica Pegula at the Charleston Open. She joined the desk on Tennis Channel alongside star of the previous round, her son Leo and was also quizzed about the WTA Finals moving to Saudi Arabia.
The move was announced on Thursday and sees a three year deal confirmed for the year-end tournament. Called the worst kept secret in tennis, it has been brewing for some time.
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Azarenka is on the WTA Players' Council and so likely was involved in discussions surrounding this move. As a result, it was no surprise that amidst the controversial takes that could've taken place, she was very much for the move.
While Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in particular have spoken out against the move, Azarenka joins Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula recently to speak positively. The former World No.1 hopes to qualify and utilise their platform to inspire the next generation.
Victoria Azarenka will face Jessica Pegula in the Quarter-Finals of the Charleston Open on Friday.
"I think that it's a good opportunity for us to inspire different regions in the world and I think that this is what we're really good at," said Azarenka.
"We hope that with our global reach more kids pick up racquets, more kids get inspired to play tennis. That is at least my dream. I think that it's a good opportunity for us financially as well, to hopefully start more new programs for our tour, for our players."
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Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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