Madrid Open organisers apologised Thursday after not permitting the ladies’s doubles finalists to make speeches after the match on the event final week, amid allegations of sexism. The mens’ doubles finalists had been allowed to talk to the group after their matches. Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff within the ladies’s last on Sunday however weren’t given a microphone to allow them to tackle the group.

“We sincerely apologise to all the players and fans who expect more of the Mutua Madrid Open tournament,” stated Madrid Open CEO Gerard Tsobanian in an announcement on Twitter.

“Not giving our women’s doubles finalists the chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable and we have apologised directly to Victoria, Beatriz, Coco and Jessica.”

Tsobanian stated the event was working with the WTA to enhance their course of sooner or later.

“We made a mistake and this will not ever happen again,” he added.

American participant Pegula criticised the event at a information convention in Rome on Tuesday.

“Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I’ve never heard of that, like, in my life,” she stated.

“I don’t know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision.”

Women’s singles finalist Iga Swiatek had criticised the event in her speech on Saturday over their late finishes, saying it was “not fun” to play at 1am (2300GMT).

Winner Aryna Sabalenka joked a few birthday cake she was given the day earlier than in her speech, which was smaller than the one the event gave males’s champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The Madrid Open additionally face complaints in regards to the ball woman’s outfits, which some followers stated had been “sexualised”.

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