WTA Faces Criticism as Fans Question Its Growth Despite Coco Gauff, Sabalenka, and Swiatek Leading the Pack

Let’s talk about the WTA’s glittering trio: Iga Swiatek, the stoic clay-court assassin; Aryna Sabalenka, the thunder-fisted Belarusian with a grin as big as her forehand; and Coco Gauff, America’s golden girl. They’re hailed as the “Big Three” of women’s tennis, dominating headlines and Grand Slam podiums. Together, they’ve won six of the last eight majors. Sounds awesome, right? But here’s the kicker: some fans think women’s tennis is still stuck in the shadows. Let’s dig into why.

The World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka has cemented herself as a hard-court specialist with 2 consecutive Australian Open titles and a US Open title. On the other hand, the World No.2 Swiatek has cemented her status as the queen of clay with 4 French Open titles. The World No.3 Gauff, the youngest of the trio, broke through with her first major at the 2023 US Open, solidifying her place as the future of American tennis. Together, they’ve brought stability and star power to the WTA, drawing comparisons to the ATP’s legendary “Big Three” of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. But are the rivalries on par with the ATP?

Even The Belarusian player had once said that he prefers watching men’s tennis more. In 2024 the 26-year-old candidly admitted, “I’m not someone who watches too much tennis, I prefer to watch men’s tennis rather than women’s tennis, I feel like there is more strategy and it’s more interesting to watch.”

Moving the dial after the Serena Williams era was never going to be easy. Naomi Osaka’s hiatus and Ashleigh Barty’s early retirement only added to the challenge. Yet, women’s tennis hasn’t missed a beat, with a new top tier emerging.

The sport has delivered some electrifying moments in recent Grand Slams. Aryna Sabalenka’s gritty triumph over Elena Rybakina at the 2023 Australian Open was a match for the ages, showcasing nerves of steel and elite competition. Coco Gauff’s victory at the US Open in September, defeating Sabalenka in a thrilling final, was another must-watch event. The numbers prove it too—the women’s final became the most-watched tennis major final on ESPN, outpacing the men’s final by a considerable margin. The appetite for women’s tennis is clearly there, and these high-stakes battles are feeding it.

However, compared to the ATP, where Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer have given the sport the most exciting rivalries, matches that would be remembered for generations. Now, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have filled the gap, meanwhile, Djokovic still continues to create rivalries with the young generation. The Serbian has a lead in the head-to-head with every top ten player currently.

Top Comment by Allyn Goldstein

The men’s big three is the best tennis ever was and ever will be. Those guys are the greatest three...more

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Debate

So where has WTA dropped the ball? Here’s what fans have to say.

Fans react to the stinted growth of WTA

Fans on Reddit have criticized the WTA for their lack of effort in marketing and visibility of the women tennis players.

One user wrote, “The lack of rivalries is only one issue affecting the visibility of the sport. WTA is far behind the ATP in terms of marketing and visibility, and the ITF is also. I experienced this when trying to get tickets to the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup. Two short examples: Davis Cup was held later in Nov but tickets were available months before BJK ones. Also, was on ITF promo mailing list and more than 80% of the emails I received were for men’s events.”

Viewership numbers tell a stark story: the 2023 Australian Open men’s final drew 2.2 million U.S. viewers, double the audience for the women’s final. At Wimbledon, the men’s final attracted 4.5 million U.S. viewers, compared to just 1.7 million for the women’s. Off the court, the ATP’s $150 million annual marketing budget far surpasses the WTA’s estimated $50 million, impacting everything from promotional campaigns to social media engagements.

Another one wrote, “I personally think that the Iga and Sabalenka rivalry is more entertaining than any of the ATP rivalries (I’m biased though). If only Iga was better at the slams and they faced each other more, I think people would see their rivalry as the best on either tour. Yes, marketability is definitely a problem”

Another user wrote a similar complaint, “I cheered for an Iga and Aryna grand slam final faceoff in this year’s AO, but Madi dashed off any hope there was. Well given that Iga is the queen of clay and Aryna is best on hard courts. I doubt we will see any faceoff between these two in a GS final. Unless Iga suddenly improves her serve massively.”

Swiatek and Sabalenka’s rivalry is already one of the most fascinating on the tour. Swiatek leads their head-to-head record 8-12, but the battles are intense, with Sabalenka’s aggressive play challenging Swiatek’s precision. The only problem is that they have yet to face each other in a Grand Slam final. The only Grand Slam match they have played has been at the semi-final of the 2022 US Open. There was a slight hope of them facing each other in the finals of the Australian Open but Swiatek bowed out of the semi-finals before that could happen.

Another user pointed out the marketability issue, writing, “The rivalry has to be with Coco, I don’t think Sabalenka will ever truly be marketable. She is a very genuine soul but her behavior after defeats, her style of play, and her grunt, all render her less-than-likely to ever be a true superstar. I kinda feel she wants to be too or thinks she should be but I don’t think she has the it factor of a superstar, personality-wise Coco does.”

But then one user raised a dispute writing, “I argue Sabalenka is more marketable than Swiatek who feels like she’s just too quiet for it”

According to Forbes, the 2-time Australian Open champion took home $9million (£7.2m) from endorsements in 2024. Sabalenka’s biggest rival on the court, Iga Swiatek, earned $15m in the same period. In 2024, Coco Gauff became the highest-paid woman athlete, earning $25 million in endorsements. She has an incredible portfolio of New Balance, American Eagle, Barilla, UPS, and Rolex.