MADRID:
Madrid Open organizers apologized Thursday after not allowing the women’s doubles finalists to make speeches after the match at the tournament last week, amid allegations of sexism.
The men’s doubles finalists were allowed to speak to the crowd after their matches.
Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in the women’s final on Sunday but were not given a microphone to let them address the crowd.
“We sincerely apologize to all the players and fans who expect more of the Mutua Madrid Open tournament,” said Madrid Open CEO Gerard Tsobanian in a statement on Twitter.
“Not giving our women’s doubles finalists a chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable. We have apologized directly to Victoria, Beatriz, Coco, and Jessica.”
Tsobanian said the tournament was working with the WTA to improve their process in the future.
“We made a mistake and this will not ever happen again,” he added.
American player Pegula criticized the tournament at a news conference in Rome on Tuesday.
“Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I’ve never heard of that, like, in my life,” she said.
“I don’t know what century everyone lived in when they made that decision.”
Women’s singles finalist Iga Swiatek criticized the tournament in her speech on Saturday over their late finishes, saying it was “not fun” to play at 1 am (2300GMT).
Winner Aryna Sabalenka joked about a birthday cake she was given the day before in her speech, which was smaller than the one the tournament gave men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz.
The Madrid Open also face complaints about the ball girl’s outfits, which some fans said were “sexualized”.
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