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In the 2023 WTA events calendar, the final showdown with the Top 8 players will take place in Cancun, Mexico, a tourist paradise with turquoise seas, powdery white sand, coral reefs and reef sinkholes with waters clear inviting you to jump. Of the eight eligible for the WTA finals event with $9 million in prize money, only four have been confirmed as of October 10.
This year’s October WTA calendar included nine events in the Far East, Europe, North Africa and the Balkans. These results will count towards qualification for the WTA Finals. All players in the Top 10 have, at one point or another, taken time off to treat their injuries. WTA tennis is no picnic.
Even so late, for the WTA Finals which begins on October 29, only four have confirmed tickets. Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula. Others must survive or await the outcome of the events of October. Their ranking is too close to be clear. They are Elena Rybakina, Maria Sakkari, Ons Jabeur, Marketa Vondrousova and Karolina Muchova.
The event will have little impact for residents of Cancun, Mexico. Tickets for the event are sold match by match with hotel reservations. Television rights and advertisements provide the WTA with most of its revenue. A different league in show business.
Asians in the WTA rankings
There are only three Asians in the WTA Top 50 singles rankings. They all come from China. Qinwen Zheng, ranked 24th, Xinyu Wang, 32nd and Lin Zhu, 35th. Since Li Na, world number one, no Asian has entered the Top 10 of the world rankings after her. The WTA singles ranking is well over 1,000. Players will need to compete in a specified number of events per year to achieve ranking status with the WTA.
In doubles, 37-year-old Taiwanese veteran Su-Wei Hsieh is ranked seventh. Alongside her, eight Asians from Japan, China and Taiwan ranked in the WTA doubles Top 50. Here too, the ranking well exceeds 500.
Status quo
The WTA computers update the rankings every Monday. The database powered 24 hours a day by all events from all continents. Endless update activity to remain valid for events around the world to carry out qualification and ranking of players even in the most remote regions of the world. A mega database operation.
For rankings, WTA and ATP players will need to demonstrate a different level of commitment to gain entry and recognition. One of the goals of the WTA and ATP is to reach out to players who are seriously interested in professional tennis. The world rankings for both sexes differentiate between casual players, those interested in college tennis, those interested in scholarships, amateurs, local rankings and attempts from serious professionals. Professional bodies only cater to players who want to make a living playing tennis.
Money to take home
The winningest player in WTA history is Serena Williams. His prize money amounted to 95 million US dollars. His net worth is listed at $430 million or more. The highest ever recorded in women’s tennis. A lot of stress, strain and sacrifice were required to harvest this wealth. The second highest priced player is Petra Kvitova, with $37 million. Victoria Azerenka $34 million, Garbine Mugurusa $24 million, Karolina Pliskova $25 million, Elina Svitolina $22 million and Steffi Graf $21 million. (Money wasn’t big in Graf’s time)
Qualifying for the WTA Finals puts players on a higher pedestal when it comes to sponsorship and appearance rights. High-end tennis players have professional sports management systems. They ensure that the player’s interests are taken into account. They can do what an individual player cannot do or finds it extremely difficult to do. Also supporting events across the world, they hold the cane to discipline players and inspire them to perform. Often, management pairs a player with a suitable coaching team for better performance. Sports management today is as complex as business activity.
Expensive entry
Players who decide to venture into the professional rankings need a good amount of money to begin the journey. Junior events to mature organized by the ITF around the world. The United States and Europe have their junior systems. The lowest junior category ITF event could attract an entry fee of US$50, or 18,000 Sri Lankan rupees. A commitment to travel and perform in countries closer to Sri Lanka can cost well over a rupee.
Professional events pay from the moment a player qualifies, and prize money increases with each victory. Competing in WTA and ATP events will require commitment and a very serious success rate to survive the first few days. This is where sports management companies come in to provide early support. Considering how many players are taking up professional tennis, it may not be as difficult as it seems.
The WTA Finals in Cancun, Mexico, will assure many that a professional career in tennis is possible and could bring in big money, if successful, much more than others.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competitive player; Coach of the German Tennis Federation; National coach of Brunei and Sri Lanka; Coach of the Davis Cup, the Federation Cup, has coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–
