Madrid Open insists on outdated stereotypes – 05/12/2023 – Marina Izidro

It’s hard to know what the organizers of the Madrid Open tennis were thinking. Victoria Azarenka, doubles champion alongside Bia Haddad Maia, summed it up as “unacceptable.” It was that, and more.

For those who haven’t seen it, follow the succession of balls out of the tournament that ended last week.

To begin with, a bizarre scene, but one that has already happened in Madrid: the ball players in some matches were tall, thin models, wearing a tight-fitting blouse with an exposed belly and a short skirt, while the ball players wore shirts and shorts.

Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz had the same birthday. The Spaniard won a three-tiered cake, which had to be carried by four people on the center court, and celebrated with the public. The Belarusian received a much smaller amount, inside the tournament facilities. Both took the title in singles disputes.

After the women’s doubles decision won by Azarenka and Bia, the athletes could not give speeches of thanks, something that always happens. The men’s doubles finalists, yes. “I don’t know what century everyone was living in when they made the decision or had a conversation and said, ‘Wow, this is a big decision, and there’s not going to be any backlash,'” said runner-up Jessica Pegula, who is part of of the WTA Athletes Council. I thought the same.

Organizers apologized on Twitter to those who “expected more from the tournament.” There was no explanation for what happened, which suggests that the list of blunders was not accidental. Someone decided and approved the protocols considering it normal to treat men and women differently. The apologies and the exchange of skirts for shorts only came after the worldwide repercussion and the flood of criticism from tennis players and the public.

Feliciano López, director of the competition and better known for his pretty face than for what he did on the court as a tennis player, preferred to be defensive and even mocked the cake incident. He wrote on Twitter that he “was surprised by the reaction” as Alcaraz played on center court, reached the final and is Spanish despite the tournament being international. And he put a photo of the Danish Holger Rune with a birthday cake, with a mocking emoji. Unfortunately, I’ve read similar reviews.

Human beings sometimes have the bad habit of analyzing a situation from their own perspective –almost always a privileged one– when they should look at it from the victim’s point of view. Judge instead of reflect.

Boleiros are children and young people who love tennis, and many dream of becoming professionals. Roger Federer was one. What message does the short skirt send to girls who want to be athletes? Of course, it’s not about the cake itself, but how did Sabalenka feel?

It is speculated that there was a fear that Azarenka would criticize the tournament in the champion’s speech, and therefore they were silenced. If male tennis players complain, they are fighting for their rights. Nick Kyrgios disrespects everyone, and some find it funny. But if world number one Iga Swiatek comes out for playing the semi-final at 1am, is that seen as mimimi?

I share Pegula’s thinking. How in 2023 do people in positions of power in the sport find this normal and put it into practice in a prestigious tournament on the circuit? But, for the organizers, the lesson remains with a dose of irony: trying to take the microphone from the women’s hands had the opposite effect: it made their voices heard even more.

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