WTF is the WTA Doing? Website, Handling Maria, On-Court Coaching Mess
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You don’t read this a lot on the web, but you should leave this web page right now and go to www.wtatennis.com. Go quick as it might change, but it looks to be permanent. The WTA re-did their website in 30-point fonts in a graphics-blast format that looks like a middle school web class project.
ADHEREL
Things are impossible to find. It’s the opposite of intuitive. But that’s how things are going at the WTA these days.
How did women’s tennis get to this point?
On-court coaching, where a (always) male coach runs on the court between changeover to save the (seemingly) helpless female player with some strategy in still in effect. It’s a total embarrassment to women’s sport.
WTA CEO Steve Simon loves the concept so much, he’s trying to force through rules that will let male coaches coach/yell at their players FROM THE STANDS. Won’t it be great to watch an entire match with a players coach barking at them over the railing the entire time ?!?
Tennis writer Pete Bodo tweeted Sunday, “Steve Simon of the WTA has to be a front runner in “worst executive” sweeps. “Bein,” website, “no comment” on MS. Sheesh.”
“Bein” is the beIN network, which sucks. Their “HD” is grainy and the WTA sold a ton of tournament rights to them instead of Tennis Channel. You couldn’t even find Maria Sharapova’s debut match in the U.S., they were showing soccer. It’s a s**t show.
MS is Maria Sharapova. The doper returned to tennis this week in Stuttgart. Fans are split as to her return, but her detractors are pissed that the ice queen is receiving boatloads of wild cards and drooling love from the WTA.
Genie Bouchard didn’t mince words this week, saying “She’s a cheater and I don’t think a cheater in any sport should be allowed to play that sport again.”
Sharapova says she was exonerated by her 15-month suspension. Detractors said she knowingly took a performance-enhancing drug, supported by the facts she took extra before matches and didn’t report she was taking it to the WTA. But in the world of Sharapova and her cadre, a great injustice has been done to her, and she’s weathered it like a hero…a returning hero triumphant.
The tone-deaf WTA took to social in welcoming fashion, and was absolutely ripped by fans for welcoming back a drug cheat.
The message? We don’t care if you cheat. What kind of message is that for kids, other players, etc.?
The whitewashing of Sharapova’s 15-month stint for cheating is hilarious. This week in Stuttgart she sneered-down reporters who dared bring it up. Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament director Markus Gunthardt had said, “I’m really happy for Maria that she’s back after a long break.” Long break? Don’t you mean conviction for using a performance-enhancing drug?
No. 1 on the WTA rankings is Serena Williams who hasn’t hit a ball since January and reportedly won’t the rest of the year due to her pregnancy and birth of her first child. No other players have shown they can challenge for No. 1 when Serena is around, much less on the couch pregnant.
The WTA’s web, social, on-court coaching, and general decision making are looking pretty shaky, but let’s forget all that and load up on some Sugar-pova. The WTA tour and it’s leadership are…screw it, just go to the WTA’s website and you’ll get it.
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