“They are clearly still mad that she spoke out against them” – WTA gets bashed by fans for not uploading Elena Rybakina’s match highlights but publishing for lower ranked players
Netizens lashed out at the WTA over their alleged controversy with Elena Rybakina.
Elena Rybakina (Image : Daily Express)
Last month, Kazakh top-ranked, Elena Rybakina expressed her displeasure with the Women’s Tennis Association(WTA) over the Toray Pan Pacific Open‘s implementation of performance byes. The World No.5, who skipped the WTA 500 event altogether due to ‘health concerns’ is out on courts again at the ongoing China Open.
Elena Rybakina beat Russia’s rising tennis star, Mirra Andreeva in Beijing yesterday to advance to the Quarter-final round at the WTA 1000 event. She defeated the 16-year-old in a three-setter, claiming her ticket to the Round of 8 with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 win. Fans of the former Wimbledon Champ, however, lashed the WTA on the Internet for not uploading the ‘match highlights’ for the matches ‘Rybakina’ played in.
“I guess the fight with the WTA still continues with Elena Rybakina. 3 matches played this week and still no highlights posted of Elena match,” Elena Rybakina’s coach, Stefano Vukov pointed out in a post on the social media platform, X. Expressing his confusion over this move by the WTA, he further stated that it was strange given that the World No.5’s match highlights are “generally one of the most viewed”. Vukov further called the behavior “strange“.
Vukov also added a picture with his post showcasing the latest video uploads on the WTA’s YouTube channel. Fans also pointed out that the organization was actively posting match highlights of lower-ranked players as well. “They are clearly still mad that she spoke out against them,” a user on X claimed as they replied to Vukov’s post.
Social Media lashes out at WTA over the ‘Elena Rybakina’ controversy
World No.5, Elena Rybakina has reached the Quarter-final round at the ongoing China Open in Beijing. However, the ones following the WTA’s channel on YouTube are unable to view the highlights of Rybakina’s last few matches, ever since the start of the WTA 1000 event.
Netizens pointed out how the absence of Rybakina’s match highlights was both unfair and unfortunate. They criticized the organization for their “unprofessional” decision. A user even claimed that the Kazakh performed well when she plays away from the spotlight. “I find she does better when spotlight isn’t on her. Let Gauff and others suffer and have pressure,” they claimed. People also tagged the WTA and urged them to give them an explanation while others bashed them for their irresponsibility.
It is however worth noting, that allegedly, following the meltdown on X, WTA uploaded the highlights of Elena Rybakina’s latest fourth-round match against Mirra Andreeva on their YouTube channel. The highlights for the recent match came in hours after the match commenced. However, highlights for her previous matches from the ongoing event in Beijing are not available on the WTA’s channel.
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Eeshita Dev
(231 Articles Published)