Madrid Open Apologizes For Silencing Women’s Doubles Finalists

BARCELONA, Spain — The Madrid Open apologized on Thursday for not allowing the women’s doubles competitors to address the fans after last weekend’s final.

While the men’s doubles and men’s and women’s singles finalists were allowed to speak with spectators after their matches, winners Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia, as well as losing finalists Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula, were oddly denied that customary honor following Sunday’s final.

The situation was chastised by the players and mocked by supporters on social media.

Four days later, tournament CEO Gerard Tsobanian said it would never happen again.

“We sincerely apologise to all of the players and fans who expected more from the Madrid Open,” Tsobanian was cited by the tournament’s Twitter account as saying.

“It was unacceptable to deny our women’s doubles finalists the opportunity to speak to fans after the match.”

Gauff regretted after the final that she and the other players could not thank their fans for their support Madrid Open.

Pegula stated that she had never seen anything like that before.

“What happened in Madrid was extremely disappointing,” Pegula admitted. “Did I suppose we wouldn’t be able to speak? No. That’s something I’ve never heard of before. I’m not sure what century they were in when they made the decision.”

Tsobanian did not address any other concerns that drew criticism over the Madrid Open.

Tsobanian stated that the event’s organizers had personally apologized to all four players and were “working intensely, with the WTA, to revise our protocols.”

“We made a mistake, and it will never happen again,” he declared.

Tsobanian did not address any other concerns that drew criticism over the Madrid Open.

Fans on social media questioned the inequality in the size of birthday cakes given to the tournament’s best players, in addition to dressing ballgirls in short skirts and small tops in the key men’s matches.

After his semifinal triumph on Friday, home favorite and successful title defender Carlos Alcaraz was presented with a massive cake, while eventual women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka received a much smaller cake.

During the tournament, the ATP-WTA event and its primary sponsor aired a commercial on Spanish television condemning gender violence against women, which included many of the sport’s best players.

SOURCE – (AP)