By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Thursday, May 11, 2023
Madrid says No Mas to giving girls the silent therapy.
The Mutua Madrid Open has apologized for muting girls’s doubles finalists—and guarantees it will not occur once more.
More: Madrid Mutes Women’s Doubles
Mutua Madrid Open CEO Gerard Tsobanian issued an apology to all 4 girls’s doubles finalists—Victoria Azarenka, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff—who weren’t permitted to talk after the Mutua Madrid Open doubles finals in addition to tennis followers.
The transfer sparked widespread criticism and expenses of sexism as followers identified males’s doubles finalists had been permitted to talk.
Tournament officers vow the silencing snafu won’t ever occur once more.
“We sincerely apologize to all the players and fans who expect more of the Mutua Madrid Open tournament,” Gerard Tsobanian mentioned in a press release. “Not giving our women’s doubles finalists the chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable and we have apologized directly to Victoria, Beatriz, Coco and Jessica.
“We are working internally and with the WTA to evaluate our protocols and are dedicated to enhancing our course of transferring ahead. We made a mistake and this is not going to ever occur once more.”
“We sincerely apologise to all of the gamers and followers who count on extra of the Mutua Madrid Open event. Not giving our girls’s doubles finalists the prospect to handle their followers on the finish of the match was unacceptable and we have now apologised on to Victoria, Beatriz… (1/2)
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 11, 2023
…Coco and Jessica. We are working internally and with the WTA to evaluate our protocols and are dedicated to enhancing our course of transferring ahead. We made a mistake and this is not going to ever occur once more.”
Gerard Tsobanian, CEO of the Mutua Madrid Open
(2/2)
— #MMOPEN (@MutuaMadridOpen) May 11, 2023
In the aftermath of Azarenka and Haddad Maia defeating Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-4, the 4 girls had been offered their trophies however not given the chance to talk.
Watch across the 11:20 mark of the video above to see the 4 girls standing on the rostrum collectively ready for the chance to talk whereas music performs over the sound system. The gamers pose for a trophy shot then depart the rostrum as music continues to play.
“What happened in Madrid, it was really disappointing,” Pegula advised the media in Rome at this time. “I know a lot of like what happened, detail leading up to the event, just because Vika and I are on players council. I had a feeling something was going to happen.
“Did I feel we weren’t going to have the ability to communicate, no. I’ve by no means heard of that, like, in my life. Even in a 10K challenger last you’d communicate. I do not know what century everybody was residing in after they made that call or how they really had a dialog and determined, like, Wow, this can be a nice resolution we will do and there is going to be no-backlash in opposition to this.”
Former world No. 1 Azarenka pointed out Madrid’s double standard on social media.
“Hard to clarify to [son] Leo that mommy isn’t capable of say good day to him on the trophy ceremony,” Azarenka posted on Twitter.
Photo credit score: Mutua Madrid Open Facebook
Source: www.tennisnow.com