Tennis Controversies of the Week: Aryna Sabalenka being preferred over Iga Swiatek for award leads to backlash; Stefanos Tsitsipas’ father in hot water over remark on son, and more
Backlash ensued after Belarusian tennis star Aryna Sabalenka was chosen over Iga Swiatek for the 2024 Jerry Diamond ACES Award. In other news, Stefanos Tsitsipas’ father, Apostolos, came under fire for misinterpreting his son’s cryptic message.
Meanwhile, Matteo Berrettini received criticism for becoming an ambassador of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Russian tennis legend Nikolay Davydenko challenged equal prize money for women.
Also, WTA drew flak for naming Emma Navarro as the ‘Most Improved Player 2024.’
On that note, here’s a recap of the top tennis controversies from last week:
Aryna Sabalenka’s triumph over Iga Swiatek for the 2024 Jerry Diamond ACES Award sparked outrage
Aryna Sabalenka’s victory over Iga Swiatek for the 2024 Jerry Diamond ACES Award sparked criticism. Sabalenka, who overtook Swiatek for the No. 1 ranking in October 2024, was recognized for promoting women’s tennis through off-court and charitable work.
Many fans criticized the decision, recalling Sabalenka’s past disinterest in women’s tennis and her support for hosting events in Saudi Arabia, despite its controversial women’s rights record.
The Belarusian tennis star had an exceptional year, where she won the Australian Open and the US Open, as well as WTA 1000 titles in Cincinnati and Wuhan.
