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World number one Aryna Sabalenka has criticised the Women\u2019s Tennis Association over the organisation of its season-ending Finals in Mexico.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka, 25, beat Greece\u2019s Maria Sakkari 6-0 6-1 in her opening match on Sunday but said she felt \u201cdisrespected\u201d by the sport\u2019s governing body.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very disappointed with the WTA and the experience so far at the WTA Finals,\u201d said the Belarusian.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThis is not the level of organisation we expect for the Finals.\u201d<\/p>\n
The venue for the Finals was only\u00a0confirmed in early September\u00a0after talks between the WTA and Saudi Arabia failed to yield an agreement for 2023.<\/p>\n
The construction of the court in the Mexican resort of Cancun was only completed in the days before the tournament\u2019s Sunday start.<\/p>\n
Players had been mostly supportive of playing the tournament in Saudi Arabia, but there was criticism from the likes of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert of the WTA potentially going to a country where women face discrimination.<\/p>\n
Although Sabalenka dominated against Sakkari, converting five of her nine break-point chances and winning 11 games in a row to wrap up victory in an hour and 14 minutes, she said the conditions were far from ideal.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest, I don\u2019t feel safe moving on this court a lot of the time,\u201d Sabalenka said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bounce is not consistent at all and we weren\u2019t able to practise on this court until yesterday for the first time. It\u2019s just not acceptable to me with so much on the line and so much at stake.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said in my press conference tonight, as a player I really feel disrespected by the WTA. I think most of us do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sabalenka took the top ranking from Poland\u2019s Iga Swiatek after the US Open in September and will finish as year-end number one if she is undefeated in round-robin play or reaches the final.<\/p>\n
Earlier in Group A, American Jessica Pegula beat Elena Rybakina 7-5 6-2.<\/p>\n
Pegula, 29, won 10 of the last 12 games against her Kazakh rival, who had served for the first set at 5-3 but had 35 unforced errors in the match.<\/p>\n
Sabalenka\u2019s next match will be on Tuesday against Rybakina, with Pegula facing Sakkari.<\/p>\n
Monday\u2019s Group B matches see Swiatek take on Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova while US Open winner Coco Gauff faces Ons Jabeur.<\/p>\n
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