WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina wrap themselves in towels and rush off the court as the decider clash at the WTA Finals 2023 gets suspended

WTA blamed for poor management as rain delays between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina.

WATCH: Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina wrap themselves in towels and rush off the court as the decider clash at the WTA Finals 2023 gets suspended

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina (Credits: @TheTennisLetter/X)

The decider match between Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina at the WTA Finals 2023 was suspended due to rain on Thursday. The match was building up to be a thrilling one as the Belarusian took the first set and Rybakina was close to taking the second. However, due to bad weather, the match was suspended abruptly with a standing score of 6-2, 3-5.

The WTA organizers have been blamed for poor management and organization for allowing the match to go ahead in the first place. The forecast had predicted rain, and the organizers should have been prepared to postpone the match if necessary.

YouTube video

The WTA has been at the receiving end of various criticism recently. The courts at Cancun were not ready when the players arrived, leading to them not being able to practice on the court where they would play. Some have even confessed that the courts feel “unsafe” and are unsuitable for playing. Now the management has come under fire for their poor scheduling.

FS Video

This has led many fans to believe that the WTA organizers need to do better in the future with respect to planning and scheduling matches to ensure fair and dry conditions. Suspending the game midway not only heckles the audience but also increases the chances of fatigue and injury among the players who usually have back-to-back tournaments and matches lined up. Just like how in this scenario, the players were forced to wrap themselves in towels and rush off the court as the heavens opened up.

This is a must-win match for both players. Sabalenka needs to win to qualify for the semi-finals, while Rybakina needs to win to stay in contention. It becomes unacceptable for a match of this importance to be suspended due to rain.

Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina complain about WTA’s poor management

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has slammed the poor organization of the WTA Finals in Mexico, saying she and the other top players feel “disrespected.”

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (Credits: Tennis-infinity.com)

Elena Rybakina has echoed her statements about the delayed construction of facilities for the year-end tournament, especially the hard courts that were hastily built for the event.

Sabalenka took to her Instagram and wrote:

I am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals. As I said in my press conference tonight, as a player I really feel disrespected by the WTA. I think most of us do. This is not the level of organization we expect for the Finals.

This year’s Finals have been plagued by problems, including a late decision on the host city and a temporary arena that has been criticized by players. Sabalenka said it was “not acceptable” that she could only practice on the court for the first time until the day before her opening match.

In case you missed it: