Aryna Sabalenka expresses disbelief over WTA Finals practice court conditions amid unfinished stadium controversy
Aryna Sabalenka couldn't contain her shock at the inadequate practice court facilities provided to the players at the 2023 WTA Finals.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the year-end championships would take place at the Plaza Quintana Roo in Cancun, Mexico, from October 29 to November 5.
Later, in September, it was disclosed that the WTA was reportedly investing $6 million to construct a 4,000-seat stadium for the event. Tournament director Gustavo Santoscoy also mentioned that there would be two alternate practice fields available within the hotel premises for the players.
However, recent on-the-ground reports and photos circulating on social media suggest that the stadium is still under construction, much to the consternation of tennis fans.
As players, including Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and Aryna Sabalenka, have begun arriving in Cancun for the year-end championships, the subpar state of the practice courts has also become apparent.
Sabalenka's coach, Anton Dubrov, recently took to social media and shed light on the practice court conditions. He revealed that there were only two courts available for players until the day before the event began, which was Saturday, October 28. Additionally, he pointed out that there was only one racquet stringer present on-site to assist the players.
In his post, Dubrov also tagged Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur, as well as their respective coaches, indicating that this was a shared concern among players and their teams.
"2 practice courts till Saturday 1 stringer on site," he posted on his Instagram story.
Aryna Sabalenka reshared Dubrov's post and signaled her disbelief at the conditions.
"🤯," she posted on her Instagram story.
A brief look at Aryna Sabalenka's WTA Finals record
Aryna Sabalenka achieved her third consecutive qualification for the WTA Finals this season. The Belarusian made her first appearance at the year-end championships in 2021.
While Sabalenka emerged victorious against Swiatek in 2021, she was unable to defeat Paula Badosa and Maria Sakkari in the group stage, preventing her from advancing to the semifinals.
Sabalenka enjoyed greater success during her campaign last year. In the round robin stage, the 25-year-old secured wins over Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula, while suffering a defeat to Sakkari.
She proceeded to the semifinals where she defeated Swiatek, setting up a blockbuster title clash against Caroline Garcia. However, the Belarusian was unable to claim her maiden WTA Finals title as Garcia dominated the final and won in straight sets.
Sabalenka will now aim to make a strong finish to the most successful season of her career at the 2023 WTA Finals.