The WTA seeks equality in women’s and men’s tennis.
Foto:
GLYN KIRK / AFP / Getty Images
The WTA has announced this Tuesday an exciting new strategy that “marks a solid path” towards equal prize money and a revised WTA Tour schedule which “provides long-term sustainable growth for women’s tennis”.
According to the WTA, these changes “will support the growth of the sport and improve the overall experience for all the fans worldwide of the WTA and the rest of the key parties within the game”.
The women’s circuit “will have the best players competing consistently in the best tournamentswhile also providing a structure for player mobility and growth opportunities.”
American player Alycia Parks (L) celebrates with Australia’s Storm Hunter (R) after winning the doubles against Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia at the WTA Birmingham tournament. Photo: DARREN STAPLES/AFP via Getty Images.
The WTA indicated that one of the main pillars of the strategy “includes the creation of a path towards equal prize money, a goal envisioned 50 years ago when Billie Jean King founded the WTA“.
“This increase will occur over time to ensure the changes are sustainable for players and tournaments in the long term, with the combined WTA 1,000 and 500 tournaments for the same prize money by 2027, and the single-week WTA 1,000 and 500 by 2033“.
The number of WTA 1,000 level tournaments increases to 10 and includes several transitioning to two weeks and with that, bigger draws: Rome (2023), Beijing (2024) and Cincinnati and Toronto/Montreal (2025), plus existing appointments in Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid. Additional WTA 1,000 events will be week-long championships in Doha, Dubai and one yet to be defined.
Likewise, hehe new player registration rules will guarantee the constant presence of the best in the ranking in these ‘premium’ tournaments throughout the year. The increase in two-week WTA 1,000 tournaments combined with the men’s ATP “demonstrates a clearer alignment on both Tours,” he adds.
This new strategy also seeks to enhance WTA 500 events and increase their value, which will be achieved through various strategic additions and less schedule overlap, along with new entry rules to improve the quality of player rosters.
WTA 500 tournaments will increase to 17 in the new schedule: Abu Dhabi, Adelaide, Berlin, Brisbane, Charleston, Eastbourne, Monterrey, San Diego, Seoul, Strasbourg, Stuttgart, Tokyo, United Cup, Washington, Zhengzhou and two more yet to be defined.
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.”
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2023-06-28 04:47:14
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