For nearly a decade, Tatjana Maria, the experienced German player, has had to squeeze into small hotel rooms with her husband/coach and children while traveling for her tennis career. She even had to pay for larger rooms out of her own pocket. Similarly, CoCo Vandeweghe played most of the 2018 season with a broken foot to avoid fines for missing mandatory tournaments, which ultimately led to a career-threatening injury. And in 2019, Danielle Collins spent money she didn’t have to hire a full-time coach, physiotherapist, and hitting partner to try to break into the top ranks of tennis.
Now, many top tennis players are fed up with this treatment. They feel like they are being treated as hired help by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) instead of the star attractions that fans pay to see. Tensions between players and tour leaders reached a boiling point at the WTA Tour Finals in Cancun, Mexico. The players were unhappy with the stadium court, which they deemed unsafe and unpredictable. The court was also not ready for practice until the day before the event.
This conflict is about larger issues of respect, equality, and being heard, which are common in athlete rebellions. The players had submitted a list of requested improvements to the WTA CEO, Steve Simon, but received no response for three and a half weeks. This lack of action led to the formation of a new players’ organization, the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), which aims to bring about real changes in the sport.
The players’ requests cover areas such as the schedule, tournament rules, pay, and representation. They want more flexibility in the schedule, with fewer mandatory events and more opportunities to play in smaller events. They also seek better compensation, including guaranteed pay for the top 250 players, injury protection, and maternity coverage. The players want a say in evaluating tournament operations and financial records.
The inequality in prize money between men’s and women’s tennis, along with issues of misogyny, market demand, and lack of exposure for women’s sports, are factors contributing to the players’ dissatisfaction.
The WTA has responded by acknowledging the players’ concerns and promising to address them. However, it remains to be seen whether they can meet the demands of the top players and ensure the future of the WTA Tour.
Overall, this conflict highlights a long-standing issue of players feeling unheard and undervalued by the WTA. They are now demanding transparency and greater input in decision-making to reshape the sport and create a fairer playing field.