WTA player stream appeal and 2024 final in Riyadh
View(s):The line-up of players for the women 2024 final in Riyadh is another tribute to the WTA management’s steadfast innovative and promotional pursuit. In their effort, no player is hurt and benefits seeps down to up to thousands globally. All who made into the women ranking go home with some money. The top end fame and great deal of money. An outcome WTA envisaged for Women’s tennis.
Large number of players in WTA recoup the development-money spent and their total return many folds of their expenditure over a time. In player development pursuit, ‘staying power of the player’ will be at test. It is also so in every tennis match big or small.
History of tennis promotion
Appearance of tennis in the present format dates back to 1840s when tennis became folk sport in England. [Technological innovation of Dunlop made tennis ball price to be affordable to the public] International amateur tennis promotional body came to being in 1915 and only in 1972 with professional tag as ATP and WTA. This transition did not happen in all countries. ITF representation is still the controlling body in many countries, comprising of representatives of local clubs, some clubs without playing facility. They are minuscular service providing framework inadequate in modern context. Often choking and restrictive than promotional.
As things stand now, ATP and WTA are in the top of the pyramid in tennis promotion. They place progressive methodology all the time weeding out defunct activities. WTA and ATP operates with CEO’s and not by socially elected office bearers.
Win-win situation
The win-win situation of WTA and ATP is a creation of their effective negotiation and coercion of hundreds of entities globally, commercial and otherwise for players benefit. A sporting sponsorship miracle. Today, counting in player sponsorship, endorsement and other avenues of income, top end players reap millions. Financially present pursuit to be a tennis player is ever so attractive.
Additionally WTA and ATP have mechanics to safeguard players. They keep tennis free of political and social influences. WTA and ATP accommodates all good dedicated players. Going by the record, I will say for WTA and ATP, mission accomplished.
WTA, No.1 Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus and Iga Swiatek of Poland have been swapping the number one position in the ranking a good few times this year. [Sabalenka’s Belarus citizenship is not mentioned, WTA overrides this ban keeping politics out of sports] Others qualified for the WTA final in Riyadh are, Coco Gauff of USA, Jasmine Paolini of Italy, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, Jessica Pegula of USA, Qinwen Zheng of peoples republic of China and Emma Navarro of USA. The two stand by players are Daria Kasatskina of Russia and Beatriz Hadad Maia of Brazil. There could be change in the last two positions. Qualifying point difference among the last four are very close.
Qualifying WTA elites consist of four Americans, four Europeans and two Asians in the Riyadh final. The Americas and continental Europe have kept ahead in elite player development. These players are very strong in every department of the game and mentally will withstand severe onslaught and survive. Their first services cross the net 160 kmph. Groundstroke winners go at 90 to 100 kmph. At this speed their average rallies length is around 16 shots. Match duration can go past three hours. Their money does not come easy.
Cross training
tennis development
Cross training, is an age-old sport development methodology, where partner sport discipline used to increase the ability of the main sport. Almost all in the WTA Top 10 of 2024 are top end doubles exponents. All coaches encourage doubles play for two reasons. First is to act with the first thought. Any substitution to a decision by the player is the fourth decision reaction in tennis. [First thought is the original decision, second is to abort the first, third is the substitute decision and forth is the executing decision]. This delay is gives time to the opponent.
Doubles as cross training was utilised by great exponents from the 1930’s. Rod Laver, the last Grand Slam winner, played doubles with Lew Hoad, John McEnroe with Vitas Gerulaitis. McEnroe disliked dedicated singles training, doubles was his preferred substitute.
First reason to play doubles to a singles player is to act instinctively without weighing consequences and calculations. This will speed up player’s reaction denying opponent time. In tennis time matters and even more so in doubles.
Second reason for doubles is to accommodate all court game. All good players are comfortable playing from every court position. Cross training is widely used even now in elite development, all WTA finalist of 2024 have strong doubles record.
–George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; coach German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and
Sri Lanka; Davis Cup, Federation Cup coach, coached ATP, WTA and ITF ranked players in Europe and Asia; WhatsApp +94775448880–