October 27, 2024

Open Court

MORE TENNIS THAN YOU'LL EVER NEED

Victoria Azarenka returns to WTA Player Council

Azarenka discusses council business with Karolina Pliskova after a practice at Roland Garros in 2018. She returns to the Player Council for a second term.

The results of the elections to the various boards and councils advising the WTA were announced Tuesday.

And Victoria Azarenka, who served on the council from 2017-2019, is the notable add as she returns for another two-year term.

Also notable is the election of American Kristie Ahn – who as far as we know is still an active player – as a player representative on the WTA Board of directors.

Those spots, typically, have been filled by former player and other officials.

Ahn had been on the player council representing players ranked outside the top 100. But now she moves up to the C-suite and joins the board of directors, representing players ranked 21 – 100.

High Canadian Content

The Canadian content on the various governing bodies will continue, as former player Vanessa Webb, the council chair, is the representative for top-100 singles players and doubles players, while Brandon Burke is the alternate player representative.

Burke, a young Toronto lawyer from a tennis family, was a candidate for the ATP player representative position after the 2019 drama, when Justin Gimelstob resigned.

On the tournament council side, Tennis Canada’s vice-president of professional events Gavin Ziv was re-elected to a two year term, as an alternate representative. And Montreal tournament director Eugene Lapierre remains on the council.

Also elected, to represent the top 20 on the board, is Anja Vreg. Former player Iva Majoli held that role for many years.

Vreg is currently an agent with the Rafa Nadal Academy. She also has been a tournament director and a silver badge umpire. (Notably, her LinkedIn resumé lists her as a WTA board rep since … Sept. 2021).

The role of the player representatives is to “Engage with Players’ Council and the players. They are responsible for assuring that the Board is fully informed of the players’ point of view.”

Azarenka returns, Stephens remains

On the Player Council side, Poland’s Magda Linette was elected for the first time, to represent players ranked No. 51-100.

Sloane Stephens (top 20 member) was also re-elected.

Magda Linette at the Bronx Open, 2019.

And Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski remains on the board, but now represents singles players ranked outside the top 20.

PLAYER BOARD REPRESENTATIVES

Vanessa Webb – Council Chair; 1-100+ Singles and Doubles-Only Representative           
Anja Vreg – Top 20 Singles Representative
Kristie Ahn – 21-100+ Singles and Doubles-Only Representative
Brandon Burke – Player Alternate Representative

TOURNAMENT BOARD REPRESENTATIVES

Adam Barrett – Council Chair, Americas Representative
Peter-Michael Reichel – Europe Representative
Alastair Garland – Asia-Pacific Representative
Gavin Ziv – Tournament Alternate Representative

PLAYERS COUNCIL MEMBERS 

Victoria Azarenka – Top 20 member
Sloane Stephens – Top 20 member
Donna Vekic – Top 20 member
Johanna Konta – Top 20 member
Kristina Mladenovic – 21-50 member
Magda Linette – 51-100 member
Gabriela Dabrowski – 21+ and doubles-only representative
Christina McHale – 101+ and doubles-only representative

TOURNAMENT COUNCIL MEMBERS 

Gavin Ziv – Americas 1000 member, Board Alternate
Bob Moran – Americas 500 member
Eugene Lapierre – Americas 250 member
Adam Barrett – Council Chair, Americas Board Representative
Gerard Tsobanian – Europe 1000 member
Markus Guenthardt – Europe 500 member
Aljoscha Thron – Europe 250 member
Peter-Michael Reichel – Europe Board Representative
Charles Hsiung – Asia-Pacific 1000 member
Cameron Pearson – Asia-Pacific 500 member
Laura Ceccarelli – Asia-Pacific 250 member
Alastair Garland – Asia-Pacific Board Representative 

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