In a recent interview, Paula Badosa expressed her views on the controversy surrounding the 2023 WTA Finals and commended the top players for not letting the issues slide. The tournament, which took place in Cancun, Mexico, garnered significant attention for all the wrong reasons. Problems with extreme weather conditions and an inadequate court, which was still under construction just a day before the event, marred the competition. Several qualified players, including Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Marketa Vondrousova, openly voiced their concerns about the WTA’s apparent shortcomings, a move that Paula Badosa found commendable.
“I think it’s very good that they complained because when we don’t like something, we should say so,” Paula Badosa stated in her interview with El Pais. The Spanish tennis player further emphasized the unity among WTA players, a shift from the past.
“I think that until now there was a lack of unity between us, and that is not the case now,” she added. Badosa revealed that the women on the tour have formed a group where they can communicate their grievances and discuss potential reforms.
“The players are not happy. We have a WhatsApp group in which we talk to see if we can change things in the WTA because it can be improved. They are forcing us to play more and longer tournaments, and in the end, we are in a cycle from which we cannot get out,” Paula Badosa explained.
This issue is not exclusive to the WTA. All tennis governing bodies, including the ATP, the ITF, and the WTA, have faced criticism this year for various concerns, including player injuries due to frequent ball changes and poor scheduling. The WTA, in particular, has been under scrutiny for its announcement of a revamped circuit structure starting in 2024, which will lead to an increase in the number of mandatory tournaments.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek echoed Paula Badosa’s sentiments regarding the unity among players. She expressed her support for the players’ collective effort to bring about change in the schedule.
“I am on tour for four years, but this is the first time that we are actually really kind of united to have an impact and to do something. Because, yes, we are not happy with some things and we want to change the schedule for next year,” said Iga Swiatek during a press conference at the WTA Finals in Cancun.
Swiatek highlighted the potential negative impact of the increased mandatory tournaments on players’ health and well-being. She expressed concerns about the demanding schedule and its effect on players’ longevity in the sport.
As top players like Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek voice their concerns and advocate for change, the tennis world will undoubtedly be watching closely to see how these issues are addressed by the governing bodies in the future.
Paula Badosa in 2023
Now ranked no.66, the Spaniard played her last match on the 7th of July when she had to retire when playing against world no.39 Marta Kostyuk in the 2nd round and the scoreline was 6-2 1-0 .
This year Paula has a composed 18-9 win-loss record. Paula Badosa’s most significant accomplishment of the present year was getting to the semifinal in Adelaide.
Iga Swiatek in 2023
Currently the world no.1, Swiatek played her last match on the 6th of November when she overcame world no.5 Jessica Pegula 6-1 6-0 in the final in Cancun to win her 17th career title.
This year Swiatek achieved a compiled 68-11 match record. Swiatek conquered 6 titles in 2023 in Doha, Stuttgart, French Open, Warsaw, Beijing and Cancun. The Pole was the runner-up in Dubai and Madrid.
Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek fought against each other only twice. Their head to head is 1-1. The last time they played each other, Iga Swiatek won 7-5 6-4 in the round robin in Guadalajara (WTA Finals) in November 2021.
You can watch the highlights in the following video.
Paula Badosa and Iga Swiatek |
| Embed from Getty Images |
