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The tennis season is about to draw to a close for the women and we are gearing up for the final big event of the year. The 2023 WTA Finals will be the fifth biggest event of the calendar after the four majors. The eight highest-ranked athletes will compete for a hefty prize fund and the right to be crowned champion of champions. Oh, and just for good measure the battle for the world number 1 spot will be raging too in this tournament. So, what is the WTA Finals 2023 location that will witness the best female tennis players performing?
Where will the WTA Finals 2023 be played?
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The 2023 WTA Finals location is Cancun, Mexico. The Finals return to Mexico for the third time but Cancun will be hosting the event for the first time in history. The WTA Finals Cancun will be played at the Plaza Quintana Roo tennis center where a brand new central court was built especially for the event with 4,000 seats.
On what surface will the WTA Finals 2023 be played?
The WTA Finals location would normally suggest clay courts. However, the Plaza Quintana Roo is equipped with outdoor hard courts and this will be the surface on which the event will be played. It is understood that the consistency of the surface is very similar to that of the US Open so the players will know what to expect.
Game, Set, Cancún! 🌴🎾🇲🇽🌊
Las mejores 8 jugadoras del año de singles y dobles estarán presentes en Cancún para competir por la gloria de fin de año, en las #WTAFinalsCancún 🏆
¡Te esperamos del 29 de octubre al 5 de noviembre!
Compra tus boletos a través de @boletomovil 🎟️ pic.twitter.com/1AzKfUhm43
— GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun (@WTAGuadalajara) September 28, 2023
What weather conditions we can expect during the WTA Finals Cancun?
High humidity and almost constant winds are guaranteed during the WTA Finals Cancun. There is also rain in the forecast for the first few days so delays are possible.
The big issue undoubtedly will be the strong side winds that batter the coast of Mexico constantly. The players already expressed their worry about that and how it will affect their display. The WTA Finals debutant shared her thoughts a day before her first-ever match at this tournament:
“But it is what it is. I guess we’re going to try to do our best to show good tennis, which is not going to be I think that easy with such a windy conditions. But overall, I mean, Mexico is really nice. Yeah, I think we just try to do our best here,” Rybakina said.
What is the major stadium controversy regarding the WTA Finals 2023 location?
The WTA Finals location is controversial to start with as the players are not fond of the exposed coastline that makes it windy all the time in Cancun. However, the even bigger drama seems to be the saga with the brand new central stadium that unbelievably less than 24 hours before the start of the event is still under construction.
As evidence reveal shortly after awarding Cancun the WTA also gave the organisers $6,000,000 to build a brand new show stadium with 4,000 seats. The construction was supposed to be completed by October 24th. However, come October 28th the stadium is still surrounded by scaffolding and despite being in Cancun for several days the 8 players are forced to practice on their hotel courts. It seems the athletes won’t set foot on the new stadium until the eve before play starts. Once again, the outspoken world number 4 Elena Rybakina addressed that in her press-conference:
“Well, it’s surprise me that we didn’t get a chance yet to practice. I think that’s the only day now. I’m going to get the first hit in the evening. Tomorrow I have to play the match, so this is a bit disappointed,” Rybakina said.
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