Organisers of the Madrid Open have issued an apology to women’s doubles finalists for not giving them the opportunity to address the crowd after their clash. This after the tournament administrators were criticised by players and supporters on Twitter.
The winners, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Victoria Azarenka, nor the losers, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff – gave acceptance speeches, later accusing organisers of not allowing them to speak after the match.
Meanwhile, the finalists of the men’s doubles and men’s and women’s singles were given the chance to address spectators during their trophy presentation.
Tournament CEO Gerard Tsobanian on the Madrid Open Twiiter account said it would never happen again: “We offer our sincerest apologies to all the players and fans who expected more from the Madrid Open.
“Not giving the chance to our finalists of women’s doubles to speak to fans after the match was unacceptable.”
"We sincerely apologise to all the players and fans who expect more of the Mutua Madrid Open tournament. Not giving our women’s doubles finalists the chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable and we have apologised directly to Victoria, Beatriz… (1/2)
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 11, 2023
…Coco and Jessica. We are working internally and with the WTA to review our protocols and are committed to improving our process moving forward. We made a mistake and this will not ever happen again."
Gerard Tsobanian, CEO of the Mutua Madrid Open
(2/2)
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 11, 2023
Pegula and partner Gauff, following their 6-1 6-4 defeat by Azarenka and Haddad Maia, said on Sunday they were both left disappointed. Pegula added she had never seen anything like it.
“What happened in Madrid, it was really disappointing. Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I’ve never heard of that in my life. I don’t know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision.”
Gauff took to Twitter after the game, in a way, giving what would have been her speech on social media.
…Coco and Jessica. We are working internally and with the WTA to review our protocols and are committed to improving our process moving forward. We made a mistake and this will not ever happen again."
Gerard Tsobanian, CEO of the Mutua Madrid Open
(2/2)
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 11, 2023
Tsobanian did not mention other issues that saw them being showered with a lot of criticism.
Besides dressing ball girls in short skirts and small tops in the prominent men’s matches, fans on social media questioned the disparity in the size of birthday cakes organisers gave to the tournament’s top players.
Carlos Alcaraz was presented with a massive cake following his semi-final victory. However, Aryna Sabalenka, who won the women’s singles title, received a much smaller cake.
Tsobanian added the event had apologized directly to all four players and that organizers were “working intensely, with the WTA, to revise our protocols.”
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