The Spirit of WTA Festivus

So, by the end of the week that was, the sins of the WTA and tennis in general had continued to quietly seep into the (by now decaying) floorboards of 2023...

For one, Karolina Pliskova sounded off about the lack of acceptable marketing from the tour (amongst other things) in a “semi-rant” that managed to avoid the usual “when-I-was-in-my-prime-everything-was-better-than-now” tinge of bitterness that we often get from *former* players, mainly because she didn’t say anything that’s untrue, or at least it’s difficult to refute much if any of it without donning tour-colored glasses and proceeding to stretch the bounds of veracity beyond all recognition.

Karolina Pliskova says WTA doesn't promote the sport well and that you can't compare the players of today to Serena Williams & Maria Sharapova:

“I feel that it’s not entirely ideal, even though each of today’s top girls has something to offer. I won’t comment on the tennis, but… pic.twitter.com/k65lX9UDfe

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) December 18, 2023

Might this be the start of something big (and long overdue)? We shall see.

A few days later, one of the sport’s many long-and-winding doping cases that have allowed a player to twist in the wind while steadfastly claiming innocence, suffer countless (and endless) character assassination, have their profession and athletic prime (and best ability to earn money) taken away while having to pay lawyers in an attempt to reclaim even a small percentage of said things before the end of their career, FINALY got a resolution. Hallelujah!

No, not THAT case. Or THAT OTHER one, either. No, in this instance it was the less-reported (but no less infuriating) case involving Tara Moore. The Brit was finally found to be of “no fault or negligence” in a case that stretched back to 2022.

So, after 19 months, Moore was *told* -- just days before Christmas in the middle of the holiday season, when attention to news stories goes to die -- that what she’d been saying for almost two years was true (how nice of “them”).

Good luck with that time machine getting those 19 lost months -- and all the stresses and difficulties that went with them -- back. [And a nod to Barbara Gatica, as well.]

An independent tribunal has determined that tennis players Tara Moore and Barbara Gatica bore No Fault or Negligence for their Adverse Analytical Findings.

The players are therefore subject to no period of ineligibility.

— International Tennis Integrity Agency (@itia_tennis) December 23, 2023

pic.twitter.com/f0JRkFSsub

— Tara Moore (@TaraMoore92) December 23, 2023

At least Moore is getting some support.

Especially proud of @ptpaplayers leaders, staff, and supporters for this one.

ps - don’t think we didn’t notice the classic holiday weekend news dump. Put the news out when much of the world is busy… pic.twitter.com/t4Va9Xs502

— Ahmad Nassar (@ahmad4athletes) December 23, 2023

Might this be the start of something? We shall see.

Meanwhile, the spirit of togetherness in the sport continued to persist in this season of giving. Umm, or not, kinda...

Four of the “Seven Kingdoms” in tennis launch a new service to battle online abuse of players.

A worthy cause, and an interesting split here in a fractious time for the sport:

WTA, ITF, Wimbledon and USTA joined forces on this;

ATP, Tennis Australia, and FFT sitting it out. pic.twitter.com/ErRJaRnA0u

— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) December 20, 2023

Ah, but will they monitor the threats made by players *against* fellow players? Hmmm.

I am very pleased that my second @taylorswift13 (actually, Taylor Swift/Tchefuncte River) poem is now appearing in Local Gems Poetry Press's new Silk Road Blog. I invite you to read "Almost Home" https://t.co/1hV7wQlvB9 @iga_swiatek #poetry #poetrycommunity

— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) December 24, 2023

pic.twitter.com/G1KUa8vHF8

— The Queen (@LisaSimpson24) December 24, 2023

To be continued...