The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has recognized that this year's Tour Finals fell short of perfection and has signaled forthcoming operational changes in response to complaints from top players.
In a leaked letter to the players, WTA Chief Steve Simon explained that the late selection of Cancun as the host for the WTA's premier tournament was "based on a number of complicated factors."
He expressed understanding of the players' dissatisfaction with the decision to hold the event in Cancun and stated, "It is not a perfect event; we understand the conditions are a challenge, and the WTA accepts responsibility for that."
The decision to designate Cancun as the venue for the $9 million tournament, which assembles the top eight singles players and doubles partnerships to conclude the season, was made less than two months before the event's commencement on Oct. 29.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka criticized the WTA for the court conditions after the first day of group play, voicing that she felt "disrespected" by the level of organization at the prestigious event.
The concerns raised about the Cancun event have magnified the widespread dissatisfaction with the WTA's management of the tour.
The Athletic reported that 21 of the world's top players had recently penned a letter to Simon outlining their grievances.
The players sought higher pay, a more flexible schedule to alleviate physical and mental burdens, expanded child care services, and representation from the independent Professional Tennis Players Association on the WTA council.
The WTA's letter stated its intention to consider various proposals aimed at reducing the mandatory commitment of top players to participate in certain tournaments at its upcoming board meeting. The letter also assured the players that a wide range of other issues "that you identified in your letter" would be reviewed.
Simon wrote, "A great deal is being done, and there is a great deal of alignment in the areas you have raised and what is being worked on." At the time of the report, there had been no immediate response to a request for comment from the WTA.
The WTA Finals are set to conclude on Sunday.
