(VIDEO) "I'm speechless and so are they for the wrong reasons": Pam Shriver weighs in on controversial Madrid Open women's doubles speech shun

Tuesday, 09 May 2023 at 06:39

Tennis great, Pam Shriver has had her say on the controversial moment and one of a few from the Madrid Open which saw Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia not given the opportunity to make a speech after winning the Women's Doubles Final.

The same can be said for Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula as runners up with all four not being given the floor and looking confused as they simply held up their trophies for the photos.

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It was a tournament full of interesting moments with Carlos Alcaraz favoritism being mooted by Daniela Hantuchova and Rennae Stubbs, the controversy surrounding the cake disparity between Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka, as well as ball girls still being models all these years later.

Watching the replay, Shriver was left 'speechless' at the moment and analyzing it said that they too had no idea what was going on.

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"Who would've thought that the women's doubles final would provide one of the more controversial moments of the year so far," said Shriver.

"Gauff and Pegula lost to Vika (Azarenka) and Haddad-Maia. None of them got to thank their teams or their families or sponsors, nobody. You've got two members of the Players Council there in Pegula and Azarenka.

"Two other top singles players and they are obviously conferring there like what just happened. No microphone, I'm speechless and so are they for the wrong reasons."

Pam Shriver

@PHShriver

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My take last night after seeing replay of ⁦@MutuaMadridOpen⁩ doubles ceremony. Two ⁦@WTA⁩ player council members ⁦@vika7⁩ ⁦@JLPegula⁩ & partners ⁦@CocoGauff⁩ & 🇧🇷’s BHM were silenced. Why? Did tournament break a tour policy or just traditions?

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12:38 PM · May 8, 2023

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