According to Belarussian media, Aryna Sabalenka has signed a letter along with other athletes in support of Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus has been marred by protest since the disputed election three months ago.

In the first days and weeks after the election, Sabalenka largely remained silent. But her recent actions have been criticized by many as they have been deemed pro-Lukashenko.

Unrest in Belarus has resulted in hundreds of people injured and arrested. Police used stun guns and water cannons to clear protesters off the streets.

Belarussian players such as Victoria Azarenka and Aryna Sabalenka have found politics a difficult topic to navigate. During the US Open, Azarenka said, “It’s breaking my heart to see what’s happening, because not being able to be there and understand the whole situation. It’s really sad, and it’s really difficult to speak about that. But I just hope that all the violence stops immediately, really does, because it’s really heartbreaking. I can’t even speak without tears in my eyes when I think about it.”

WTA is reinventing itself with a new logo, a modern look for its website, and the renaming of its tournament categories in line with the ATP. The rebranding took almost two years and was headed by brand consulting firm Landor.

This is the first refresh of the WTA logo in almost 10 years. WTA will also roll out its marketing campaign, “For The Game” with the help of top players.

New Tournament Categories

The WTA tournament categories will now be renamed as 1000, 500, 250, and 125 to match the ATP categories.

1000: Premier Mandatory and Premier 5
500: Premier
250: International
125: 125K

This change will allow casual tennis fans to understand which tournaments have higher ranking points and more prestige. But the prize money for the tournaments remains unchanged – women will continue to make less money than their male counterparts. Even with the rebranded categories, WTA will offer different points compared to the ATP.

WTA Website Gets New Look

The WTA website also gets a new look. The “For The Game” marketing campaign is prominently featured on the home page. The website also has changed its headline fonts to appear more appealing to readers.