Petkovic supports Eala in WTA row
ALEX Eala gains an ally after former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic ripped the WTA for barring her from seeing action in the 20th Asian Games recently.
WUHAN OPEN/IG
Former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic believes the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) was right to spare Alex Eala from penalties for skipping the China Open to compete in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya recently.
Petkovic, 39, said the WTA must recognize the importance of the Asian Games to players who represent their countries, arguing that the tour should adapt to the needs of a sport that has grown beyond its traditional Western base.
The 21-year-old Eala skipped the WTA 1000 tournament to compete in continental event, where she secured the bronze medal in the women’s singles. She initially faced a fine of at least $10,000 — or around P628,000 — but avoided sanctions following efforts by the Philippine Tennis Association.
“I think it is an incredibly Western approach to this because the Asian Games are so important for these countries that take part and it’s as important, or maybe more important, in terms of representing your country than it is playing on the WTA Tour,” said Petkovic, who won seven WTA titles during her 16-year professional career that ended in 2022.
“The Tour was made by Americans and mostly Europeans back in the days when tennis was mostly played in Europe and American but times have changed.”
Petkovic said tennis has become a global sport, with Asia producing leading players such as Eala, former world No. 2 Li Na of China and Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen.
“Tennis has become a global sport and Asia is one of the continents that has grown with Alex Eala, with Li Na in the past, with Qinwen Zheng. We have grown in Asia and you can’t take such a radical western approach to a Tour that is supposed global,” she said.
“You have to take into account that the Asian Games are very important to that part of the world and you have to respect that and I think rules are there to be amended when circumstances changes.”
Eala is competing in the Wuhan Open, where she was scheduled to face China’s Shi Han in the Round of 64 in singles as of press time. She is also set to team up with world No. 59 Zeynep Sonmez of Turkey against Ukrainians Dayana Yastremska and Anhelina Kalinina in the doubles Round of 32 on Tuesday.