After Cancun debacle: Navratilova calls for new WTA boss

In an interview with broadcaster Amazon Prime, the American said that Simon would hardly be able to keep this position. “Maybe it’s time for new leadership,” said the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion.

“For me, this is a women’s association and I have been involved since the beginning and we have only had two women at the top since then. It would be time for a woman. We have many who are qualified for this job. It will be difficult for Steve to keep his job, because somehow everything is pointing in a different direction at the moment,” said the 67-year-old. The reason for the excitement is, among other things, the awarding of the $9 million “Masters” to Cancun, which had only been fixed two months earlier.

Cancun award as excitement

World number one Aryna Sabalenka had already complained bitterly about the pitch conditions after the first group game and said she felt she had been treated “disrespectfully” because of the low demands placed on organizing such an important event. “The players adapted, they had to,” explained Navratilova. “But come to Cancun in the rainy season? You can’t hope that it won’t rain at the most important WTA tournament.”

Simon did not respond to a press query, but took responsibility in a leaked letter to the players and justified the late award to Cancun with “a variety of complicated factors”. Even before that, however, there had been complaints about the way female players were treated for other reasons. A WTA statement to Reuters last Friday said the WTA would continue to listen to the players about the direction the tour would take.