WTA Finals: WTA accepts responsibility for 'challenging' conditions in Cancun
- Published
Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova is among the players who have criticised the conditions at the WTA Finals
The Women's Tennis Association says it accepts responsibility for the "challenging conditions" its players have faced at the ongoing WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka said she felt "disrespected" by the organisation while Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova said the WTA was "not interested" in players' feelings.
In a letter sent to the players, and seen by BBC Sport, WTA chief executive Steve Simon admitted things had been far from perfect.
"First and foremost, it is clear that you are not happy with the decision to be here in Cancun. I understand that and you have been heard," he wrote.
"It is not a perfect event, we understand the conditions are a challenge and the WTA will of course accept responsibility for that."
Cancun was named as the venue for the tournament less than two months before it started, after talks between the WTA and Saudi Arabia failed to yield an agreement for 2023.
The bounce on the centre court in the Mexican resort has been inconsistent, and the court only opened for practice on the day before the finals began.
Some of the tour's leading players sent a letter to Simon last month outlining increasing dissatisfaction with the way the tour is being run.
This week's letter from the chief executive followed two face-to-face meetings with the players.
As well as addressing the unsatisfactory nature of the WTA Finals, Simon promised to reconsider the number of mandatory events players must contest in 2024.
He also confirmed a Player Survey will be introduced at each event next year and that discussions are planned about whether to provide players with a guaranteed annual minimum income - something recently adopted by the men's ATP Tour, external.
Simon added that other priorities for the immediate future include greater consistency in the brand of tennis balls used, and better social media promotion of the tour.