WATCH: Crazy scenes in Cancun adds to WTA Finals drama

Shahida Jacobs
Aryna Sabalenka during a match
Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, takes cover from the rain

From courts not being ready to players feeling “disrespected by the WTA” and Mother Nature causing havoc with the playing schedule, it is all happening at the WTA Finals in Mexico.

The season-ending tournament at Estadio Paradisus didn’t have the best of build-ups as players had virtually no time to practice on the courts ahead of the showpiece event due to some last-minute construction at the venue.

When the event got underway, the likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Marketa Vondrousova all complained about the state of the court with world No 1 stating “as a player, I feel really disrespected by the WTA” over the conditions in Cancun.

And now Mother Nature has added its own twist as heavy rain and wind caused chaos during Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina’s group match on Thursday.

It was wet and wild at times during the final Bacalar Group match with a semi-final place on the line.

With Jessica Pegula already qualified, it is a straight shootout between Sabalenka and Rybakina for the second last-four place and there were several rain interruptions.

Sabalenka won the opening set, but Rybakina hit back and with the scores 6-2, 3-5, the officials decided to call a halt to the day’s play at 11:40 local time – more than three hours after the match kicked off.

“Play is suspended for the night due to rain,” the WTA confirmed on social media.

“The conclusion of this match and (Coco) Gauff/Pegula vs. (Laura) Siegemund/(Vera) Zvonareva will be moved to Friday’s Order of Play.”

Earlier in the week, Sabalenka described the playing conditions as unacceptable as she lashed out at the WTA.

“I have to say, though, that I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals. As a player, I feel really disrespected by the WTA. I think most of us do,” she wrote on social media.

“This is not the level of organisation we expect for the Finals. To be honest, I don’t feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time, the bounce is not consistent at all, and we weren’t able to practise on this court until yesterday for the first time.

“It’s just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake.”

Swiatek stated that she was “not comfortable” on the court while Vondrousova claimed the WTA is “not interested in our opinions”.

“(The) stadium is not at all ready for the matches and to me it feels like the people from WTA are absolutely not interested in how we who are supposed to play on that court feel. We do not feel that anyone listens to us and is interested in our opinions. Very sad,” the Wimbledon champion wrote.

READ MORE: World No 1 admits she ‘doesn’t feel safe’ as the WTA come under fire from star players

Related Articles