DUBAI – Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka has called for a “deserving” venue to host the WTA Finals, with an announcement made as early as possible to ensure that the season finale of the women’s tour receives better marketing.
The tournament, which features the top eight singles players and doubles teams, was to be held in China’s southern metropolis of Shenzhen from 2019 to 2028 as part of a landmark agreement reached five years ago.
The deal with Shenzhen was record-breaking and the inaugural 2019 showpiece awarded singles champion Ashleigh Barty US$4.42 million (S$5.92 million) – which was the highest-ever prize money handed out to a player at any tennis event across both the men’s and women’s tours.
But the tournament had to be cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19 and was moved to Guadalajara, Mexico, in 2021.
The tournament was set to return to Shenzhen from 2022, but the WTA suspended tournaments in China due to the fallout from the disappearance of former doubles world No. 1 Peng Shuai.
Fort Worth, Texas, hosted the WTA Finals in 2022, with the venue announced shortly before the championship began and resulting in sparse crowds.
“We need something that is deserving of the Finals. In the last couple of years with such short announcements, absolutely no time for marketing – in my opinion – it’s been undervalued,” Azarenka told reporters in Dubai on Monday.
“However, the crowd in Guadalajara was unreal. Every player I’ve asked, they said it was amazing. That part is also very important for us, that we have a great crowd.
“We need definitely a place that we have time to promote, players are excited and don’t find out in the last minute or two months before where you’re going.”
Peng accused a senior Chinese government official of sexual assault in 2021 in a social media post that was removed from the country’s internet.
She later denied making the accusation, but the post caused an international outcry over her safety, especially when she has not been seen outside of China.
The WTA said in January that a return to China would require a resolution to the Peng situation, and its 2023 tour calendar lists events only up to the US Open, with no clarity on tournaments to be held in China.
Azarenka, who sits on WTA players council, said there was no “defined place” for the Finals, held previously in Singapore, Turkey and the United States.
“It’s about scheduling. We’ll see... There’s still talks about China,” the Belarusian, 33, said. “There’s nothing definitive. I wouldn’t share it here anyway because it’s quite confidential, but I can honestly say there’s a lot of talks. REUTERS, AFP
