"Such a tank by the tour"- Coco Gauff's ex-coach Brad Gilbert voices displeasure about ATP, WTA Finals' group-naming decision; proposes alternative
Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Brad Gilbert has expressed his displeasure about the ATP and WTA year-end championships going with colors as group names. Amid the ongoing 2024 WTA Finals, the American coach urged that the players’ groups be named after the legends of the game.
The inaugural edition of the WTA Finals in Riyadh is underway (November 2–9). The singles lineup includes Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen, and Barbora Krejcikova.
Gauff, Swiatek, Pegula, and Krejcikova are drawn in the Orange Group, while the rest are placed in the Purple Group. Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Gilbert, though, isn’t sold on the naming of the groups. Taking to X, the veteran, who has previously coached the likes of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, wrote:
"I don’t get why @atptour @WTA name the groups for year-end championships for colors."
Gilbert insisted that the groups honor tennis legends.
"In Saudi Arabia we are going the purple and orange groups, so beyond obvious to name the groups after former great players," he wrote.
"Such a tank by the tour to go colors. Honestly don’t get it," Gilbert continued.
It should be noted that in the recent past (2022), the groups for the WTA Finals event held in Fort Worth, Texas, were called Tracy Austin and Nancy Richey, honoring the former American tennis players. However, opting for colors has been the usual practice. Meanwhile, the singles and doubles champion’s trophies are named after Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova, respectively.
Over the years, the ATP Finals recognized the likes of Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, and Ivan Lendl while naming the groups. 2019 was the most recent edition to do so. However, the eight qualified men are divided into red and green groups since 2021.
Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jasmine Paolini make a winning start at WTA Finals 2024
In the Orange Group, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek hit the ground running, with victories over Jessica Pegula (6-3, 6-2) and Barbora Krejcikova (4-6, 7-5, 6-2), respectively.
The pair will face each other in their second WTA Finals fixture on Tuesday, November 5. Gauff is defending her semifinal run at the event, while Swiatek is the defending champion.
Meanwhile, in the Purple Group, Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini are off to a winning start, with wins against Zheng Qinwen (6-3, 6-4) and Elena Rybakina (7-6 (5), 6-4), respectively. The duo will lock horns on Monday, November 4.