"We represent the players and we want to protect everyone" - Jessica Pegula on Victoria Azarenka-led player council's role in preventing exploitation of young players by coaches
Jessica Pegula emphasized that the Victoria Azarenka-led WTA Players' Council is always working to ensure the safety of players, especially younger players, and the exploitation that could happen at the hands of their coaches.
The Players' Council advocates player interest, handles grievances, and looks at changes in the tennis schedule, and other concerns. It consists of eight players, with the current one including Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, Donna Vekić, Johanna Konta, Kristina Mladenovic, Magda Linette, Gabriela Dabrowski, and Christina McHale.
Frenchwoman Fiona Ferro recently revealed that she was raped by her former coach when she was a minor. The transgressions allegedly took place between 2012 and 2015, when Ferro was aged 15 to 18 years.
In light of Ferro's revelations, Pegula was asked in a press conference at the US Open about the Players' Council's focus on exploitive, manipulative coaches. The American stated that they represent the players and will always work towards ensuring their safety.
"Obviously we represent the players and we want to protect everyone as much as possible. I think someone like Vika [Azarenka] who has had so much experience and been on tour for so long she can definitely attest to maybe when she sees something that's not right or weird behavior or something like that," she said.
"I think from a player council point of view, we just want to put emphasis on that and want to put emphasis on what situations aren't right, has someone talked to this girl, to this coach? Does someone want to explain X, Y, Z, or why the situation looks so weird? I heard from a couple girls this happened," she added.
The 28-year-old stated that it was easier to bring issues to light now, compared to a few years ago.
"I think shining a light on it earlier nowadays is much easier to do than it was maybe 20 years ago when things weren't as talked about and wasn't as open about things," she said.
The World No. 8 believes that having experienced players helps the Players' Council function better as they have a "protective mindset."
"I think it's a lot of little things of doing that. And we're very hope about that on the player council, and I think having experienced players, I think all of us are a little older as well so we, I think, get that protective mindset of seeing all the young girls come up and wanting to make sure they are protected in the best way," she said.
"It happens right and left on the tour" - Victoria Azarenka on the exploitation of young players by coaches
Victoria Azarenka is in her second stint on the WTA Players' Council, having served earlier from 2017 to 2019. At a recent press conference, she shocked reporters by stating that incidents involving coaches manipulating and exploiting young players happen pretty often on the WTA tour.
"It's a very sensitive subject, because, you know, you won't hear those stories unless players come out and tell those stories. It happens right and left on the tour, which is unfortunate. Our job is to be better at safeguarding," Azarenka said, adding, "You know, as player council, it's almost like No. 1 subject, you know, to us. Because we see those vulnerable young ladies that getting taken advantage of in different situations."