Wrong semi-finals and age mix-up: WTA’s social media under fire
WTA
The official social media accounts of the WTA made a noticeable blunder, mistakenly announcing the wrong semi-final matchups following Linda Noskova’s victory at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi Open. The Czech player defeated Magda Linette (6-4, 6-3) and will face Ashlyn Krueger (No. 51), who stunned Leylah Fernandez.
However, the WTA’s official account incorrectly posted that Noskova would be playing 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina, who is actually set to play in the other semi-final. Social media users were quick to criticize the lack of fact-checking in the official post.
Adding to the criticism, another user pointed out that Krueger had earlier been described as a “teenager” despite already being 20 years old.
“Just today alone, the WTA has called 20-year-old Ashlyn Krueger a teenager and has confused who is playing in which semi-final,” the Tennis Updates account posted. “Incredible researching here,” they added sarcastically.
Just today alone the WTA has called 20-year old Ashlyn Krueger a teenager and has confused who is playing in what Semifinal
— Tennis Updates (@TennisUpdates25) February 6, 2025
Incredible researching here. https://t.co/45B2BdK8MW
Abu Dhabi Semi-Finals Set
With the quarter-finals now complete, the Abu Dhabi Open semi-finals feature only one seeded player—none other than top seed Elena Rybakina, who aims to defend her 2024 title and claim her first trophy of the season.
The world No. 5 battled through a tough match against Ons Jabeur, winning 6-2, 4-6, 7-6[7-4] to secure her place in the semi-finals, where she will face an in-form Belinda Bencic. The Swiss Olympic gold medallist has been in excellent form, boasting a 9-2 record this year, with victories over high-profile opponents such as Naomi Osaka, Jelena Ostapenko, and, most recently, former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
The second semi-final will see 19-year-old Noskova take on American Ashlyn Krueger, who is making her WTA 500 semi-final debut. The 20-year-old American shocked Canada’s Fernandez, and so far, 8 of her 9 matches this season have gone to three sets—including all three of her Abu Dhabi encounters.
One step closer 💪
— wta (@WTA) February 6, 2025
Linda Noskova takes the first set against Linette, bringing her closer to her first semifinal appearance in Abu Dhabi. #MubadalaAbuDhabiOpen pic.twitter.com/F26dr0a0sz
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- they need to change the rules on the WTA to limit wildcards more effectively like they have on the ATPSososo06-02-2025
- This is just getting beyond ridiculous!! Not to mention unsportsmanlike and unfair to serious up & coming contenders.
mandoist06-02-2025 - No, writer, we were not "stunned". If you knew your business you would have been aware of her statement last weekend re: her knee and retirement. The main take-away here is that Simona went out on her own terms. She surely wanted to play again after WTA & ITIA screwed her out of her final productive seasons. Personally, I believed she was going to make this announcement when I saw the President and his family in their box seats. Good for Simone -- now she can move on to other things as she said she would.mandoist04-02-2025
- It sounds seriously absurd that in Davis Cup, (unlike Grand Slams such as the Aus Open), medical time outs off court with the medical staff are not allowed?? I mean, if this was an Aus Open match, and the same thing happened to Gurin then, he would have been able to go off court for official medical time out and make an informed decision whether to resume the match or retire. How come such conditions do not apply in Davis Cup?? I mean, there with Davis Cup, it is even more like a soccer match or basketball game in that teams are playing. And so as with those, it ought to be the case in tennis that if a player needs serious medical time out, then one of the other team mates ought to substitute and each team needs to have stand-ins or understudies in case substitution is needed which will be rare but as we can see here, this kind of circumstance fits. But even if the teams do not go down the road of subbing other team mates in, in case of a health issue like the one which played out here, at least, as in the Aus Open and other Grand Slams, there ought to be time-outs with the health professionals and at the conclusion of these time-outs, the particular decision that has been reached between them and the player needs to be taken on board by the umpire. PERIOD.
Sueiyin04-02-2025 - "If Novak did this, he would be defaulted for life. WTF." 🤣 WTF sounds like What Tennis Fury?! What Tennis Flurry??! I mean, se-rious-ly, it was actually the unfairness of the silly umpire's decision that is the issue here! Further, how come it was Gurin & his team who got disqualified? If this kind of thing happens in soccer, it would be the other guy getting the yellow or red card! Because after all, it was the Belgian who's foul it was so why then penalize the opponents for something they didn't instigate? Fouls in both basketball and soccer are read as a hinderance that has been caused by the player who INITIALLY instigated the hinderance. In this case, okay, it is tennis, but while the precise rules are different to either soccer or basketball, the same type of recognition as to whoever instigates a hinderance should apply, and in this case, it was the Belgian player.Sueiyin04-02-2025
- Medvedev talking to his form here. "Some actual deep problem." 🤣😂🤣MrAndreeva03-02-2025
- "Hopefully, the team around her will help... " Actually, the lack thereof seems to have been part of the problem(s). Another possibility is that, while dealing with legitimate surgeries, withdrawing, and otherwise passing on events, the competition has stepped-up in intensity while she was busy with traveling, photo shoots, and TV commercials.mandoist03-02-2025
- Ha-ha-ha... Translation: I'll help as long as I don't have to meet in person and endure the ongoing BS"mandoist03-02-2025
- Well said.mandoist03-02-2025
- So tennisuptodate doesn't even make this event a headline on this site? I had to find it hidden here. Not a word about Yastremska trying to ruin Alexandrova's celebration with her postgame actions?? According to WTA regulations, Yastremska has some punishment coming her way for walking-off court, blowing-off postgame rituals with the winner; including no photos, etc.mandoist03-02-2025
