I have to say Im really disheartened by the wta doing this. Sad really.
Im also surprised no one else has commented, I realise it is a British board but presumably in general folks have moved on from this.
The WTA and perhaps tennis in general, seem to be in a really bad place at the moment. I'm surprised by this decision but perhaps I shouldn't be. Whether it is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global warming, taking the tour to countries that have so little respect for women, just because of the cash on offer; the WTA evidently stands for nothing but money. The premier sport for women, at least in terms of earning power, has no integrity.
I have to say Im really disheartened by the wta doing this. Sad really.
Im also surprised no one else has commented, I realise it is a British board but presumably in general folks have moved on from this.
The WTA and perhaps tennis in general, seem to be in a really bad place at the moment. I'm surprised by this decision but perhaps I shouldn't be. Whether it is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global warming, taking the tour to countries that have so little respect for women, just because of the cash on offer; the WTA evidently stands for nothing but money. The premier sport for women, at least in terms of earning power, has no integrity.
Definitely - Simon did well in his initial stance but failed a) in filling the commercial vacuum, being frank it is a mess and the last two wta finals showed them up and b) CVC came on board and the backbone just collapsed.
simon should have resigned IMO with this but clearly he wont. The logic is a mess - no progress, China clearly wont move so , heh, lets embrace them and take their money again . Pathetic
This is absolutely gutting. I'm really hoping that Peng isn't suffering too much. I wish that I could say that I'm surprised, but I can't say that I am with China's history. What a horrible world we live in!
Agree with all of the above - absolutely spineless from Simon/The Board (let's not forget they'll have made or ratified the decision). I hope some journalist digs into CVC's investments in China and finds the very obvious links. If anything, CVC should've spent this year supporting the WTA to find that alternative investment, so I'm afraid it's nothing but a decision based on money and profit.
Players unlikely to revolt sadly. Even a cautionary statement from the Players Council would be something but that's clearly not going to happen.
I am surprised that the women players would be willing to play in tournaments in China. What real evidence is there that Peng is ok and not been told what to say. Nothing seems to have properly happened after she made her allegations. But being careful what I am saying here a person would not normally just make something up like that. We all know that some places are good at covering things up and changing the story to suit them. But I would have shown solidarity and stood together as one and said NO. We won't play until the situation is sorted properly.
What annoys me is the argument they gave for going back. We've been unable to speak to Peng at all by boycotting but maybe if we go there then something will change and we will be allowed access to her. Absolutely awful.
What annoys me is the argument they gave for going back. We've been unable to speak to Peng at all by boycotting but maybe if we go there then something will change and we will be allowed access to her. Absolutely awful.
How can you have a boycott when no tournaments could be held anyway because China's zero Covid policy?
Ha - is China not opening up again, though - I am sure I read that somewhere and given these events would be in Sept/Oct period, they might be able to play by then?
Times have certainly changed. It used to be that individual athletes/performers would break sanctions in order to make money (playing at Sun City etc). Nowadays entire governing bodies have got in on the act. Nothing has changed in China except the potential to make money has returned. Snooker is going back to China next year too.
I feel very discomforted by this, but I suppose that the WTA see it as doing right by their members as China makes a big difference to the bottom line in women's tennis.