"A missed opportunity to showcase women's tennis," says WTA CEO about Roland-Garros scheduling
Roland-Garros concluded on Saturday for the women's singles, crowning a new queen in Paris. Coco Gauff claimed her first title at Porte d'Auteuil after a rollercoaster final against Aryna Sabalenka (6-7, 6-2, 6-4), solidifying her No. 2 ranking in the WTA standings.
However, controversies persisted throughout the tournament, particularly in the women's circuit, where players like Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka criticized the organizers' decision not to schedule any women's matches in the night session—for the second consecutive year.
Amélie Mauresmo, Roland-Garros tournament director, defended the choice by explaining that, since the evening match format remained unchanged from previous years, it was difficult for the tournament to do otherwise than schedule men's matches starting at 8:15 PM on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Portia Archer, who became the WTA's CEO a year ago, gave an interview to British media and reflected on these recent events in the French capital.
"What happened at Roland-Garros is simply a missed opportunity to showcase women's tennis. I think fans expect the chance to watch the best matches, whether men's or women's, in prime time.
"Broadcasters could also play a role here and have a say on behalf of viewers. I believe Ons (Jabeur) delivered a strong message during the tournament.
"We will have discussions with the Grand Slam tournaments and other events that operate in a way we believe differs from what fans and the public want.
"I encourage fans to do the same. This is something we will continue to advocate for—it's in the WTA's DNA. Regarding the scheduling controversies at Roland-Garros, I really don’t think it’s just one person (Mauresmo) making these choices.
"I think it's broader than that, more systemic. It's an issue at other tournaments too—I don’t believe it’s specific to Grand Slams. I’ll have the chance to speak with Amélie Mauresmo.
"Again, this isn’t something I attribute to any one individual, so we’ll work to engage with all stakeholders on how we can drive change in this area," Archer elaborated to the BBC in recent hours.
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