WTA hits back at claim it is on brink of collapse, says ATP merger ‘not under consideration’
The WTA have denied claims the organisation is in a bad place financially and also revealed a merger with the ATP Tour is “not under consideration.”
WTA chairman Steve Simon declared that the WTA is in “a healthy financial position” and said “we are excited about our strong future during which we will continue to grow and expand women’s tennis.”
Simon also highlighted the fact that the WTA announced “an increase of $400 million in compensation to players over the next 10 years”, earlier in 2023.
News reports about the WTA’s financial situation emerged over the weekend with some suggesting the organisation was in a spot of bother and possibly on the “brink of collapse”.
Following the reports, a spokesperson for the WTA contacted Tennis365 to reject the claims and set the record straight regarding the WTA’s financial position.
In a statement, WTA Chairman & CEO Steve Simon said: “The WTA is in a healthy financial position, a merger with the ATP is not under consideration, and we are excited about our strong future during which we will continue [to] grow and expand women’s tennis.
“Earlier this year, the WTA announced an increase of $400 million in compensation to players over the next 10 years maintaining the WTA’s position as the leading women’s sports organization globally.”
In June, the WTA revealed it would be following a new strategy to move towards equal prize money and a revised WTA Tour calendar. A press release shared by the WTA explained the strategy.
“One of the main pillars of the strategy includes creating a pathway toward equal prize money, a goal envisioned 50 years ago when Billie Jean King founded the WTA,” the statement read.
“This increase will happen over time, to ensure the changes are sustainable for players and tournaments in the long term, with WTA 1000 and 500 combined events attaining equal prize money by 2027 and single-week WTA 1000 and 500 events by 2033.
“The revised WTA calendar will feature a strengthening of the top-tier WTA events with a focus on delivering the best talent each week in a consistent and clear manner, making it easier for the fans to follow.
“The WTA 1000 level tournaments (increasing to a total of 10) include several transitioning to two weeks in length and, with that, larger draw sizes: Rome (2023), Madrid and Beijing (2024) and Cincinnati and Toronto/Montreal (2025), in addition to the existing Indian Wells and Miami competitions. The additional WTA 1000 events will be one-week events in Doha, Dubai and a yet-to-be-named event.
“New player entry rules will ensure a consistent presence of the top athletes at these premium events throughout the year. The increase in two-week WTA 1000 tournaments combined with the ATP demonstrates a clearer alignment across both tours.
“This new strategy also looks to enhance WTA 500 events and build their value, achieved through several strategic additions and less overlap across the calendar, along with new entry rules to boost the quality of the player fields.
“In the updated calendar, the number of WTA 500 tournaments will see an increase to 17 — Abu Dhabi, Adelaide, Berlin, Brisbane, Charleston, Eastbourne, Monterrey, San Diego, Seoul, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Tokyo, United Cup, Washington, Zhengzhou and two yet-to-be-named events.
“At the WTA 250 level, tournaments will have a stronger regional focus to create a more sustainable and viable business model that will help foster the next generation of stars.”