WTA ‘Cake’ Saga Refuses to Die Down as Veteran American Doubles Player Questions Madrid Open’s Intent Behind Brutal Coco Gauff and Victoria Azarenka Snub
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Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 24, 2023 Belarus’ Victoria Azarenka waves to fans after winning her quarter final match against Jessica Pegula of the U.S. REUTERS/Loren Elliott
A number of controversies involving WTA players have been witnessed at the recently concluded Madrid Open. After their remarkable triumph at the doubles event, the duo of Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia were not given the honor of speaking in the customary post-match speech.
However, their male counterparts, Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov got the opportunity to speak on the podium after lifting the doubles trophy in Madrid. Taking note of the stark disparity in the tennis circuit, many prominent figures have voiced their opinions including the former American tennis player, Pam Shriver.
Pam Shriver lashes out at the Madrid Open for their stark discrepancy for women’s players
Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia recently outclassed the American tennis duo of Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4. After winning the Madrid Open women’s doubles event, the WTA players were presented with their trophies on the podium. But, they were not given the opportunity to deliver their respective customary post-match speeches in the clay-court event.
Even the runners-up, Gauff and Pegula looked confused when they joined the stage with their fellow WTA players. Taking note of the contentious incident, the former American tennis player, Pam Shriver recently expressed her bafflement on social media.
She tweeted, “My take last night after seeing replay of @MutuaMadridOpen doubles ceremony. Two @WTA player council members @vika7 @JLPegula & partners @CocoGauff & 🇧🇷’s BHM were silenced. Why? Did tournament break a tour policy or just traditions?”
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My take last night after seeing replay of @MutuaMadridOpen doubles ceremony. Two @WTA player council members @vika7 @JLPegula & partners @CocoGauff & 🇧🇷’s BHM were silenced. Why? Did tournament break a tour policy or just traditions? pic.twitter.com/9LXEE4hBVi
— Pam Shriver (@PHShriver) May 8, 2023
Gauff and Azarenka, the participants themselves, vented on social media about the post-match speech incident at the tournament.
Another similar discrepancy was witnessed at the Madrid Open
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The tennis community witnessed another contentious incident when Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka recently celebrated their birthdays at the clay-court event in Madrid. In order to mark their special occasions, the tournament’s organizers presented cakes for both tennis superstars.
However, it was the Spaniard who got a noticeably bigger cake than the Belarusian player. Sabalenka’s fellow WTA players, Bianca Andreescu and Victoria Azarenka also witnessed the disparity in the sizes of the cakes as they also lambasted the organizers on their respective social media platforms.
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What do you think of controversies surrounding the female tennis players at the renowned clay-court event? Let us know in the comments section.
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