Kristina Mladenovic, a six-time Grand Slam doubles champion, has expressed her dissatisfaction with the newly unveiled logo of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). Mladenovic took to social media, questioning the creative rationale behind the new design and expressing her preference for the old logo.
Recently, the WTA introduced its redesigned logo, which marked a significant departure from the previous one. The new logo has done away with the silhouette of a female tennis player, a characteristic feature of the old design. Additionally, the color scheme has switched from the former purple and white to a fresh palette of light green and white. The rebranding also sees a larger focus on the WTA name itself.
Mladenovic’s critique of the logo was particularly harsh. She queried the decision-making process, asking, “Wondering how you can come up with this? And who approves?” The French tennis player further questioned the departure from tennis-related details in the logo and asked, “What does it represent?” She concluded by expressing her fondness for the old logo, stating, “Previous logo was so much better.”
This isn’t the first time Mladenovic has voiced her displeasure with recent changes in the tennis world. Earlier in February, she expressed shock at the reported plans for the US Open’s mixed doubles event. The former doubles world number one found the news “terribly shocking,” criticizing the move as a mere money-making strategy during the first week of the event.
In her critique, Mladenovic argued that the changes reduced the event to an exhibition, undermining the competitive spirit and disregarding the interests of singles qualifiers who, based on their doubles ranking, could potentially participate in the mixed event.
These concerns have since been validated as the US Open mixed doubles will now be a two-day event during the qualifying stage, featuring only 16 teams and employing a Fast4 scoring system. This change marks a significant shift from traditional formats, adding to the list of changes that have drawn Mladenovic’s ire.
In conclusion, it’s clear that Mladenovic isn’t shy about expressing her views on the shifting landscape of tennis, whether it pertains to visual rebranding or changes in tournament formats. As the tennis world continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see if other players echo her sentiments or embrace the changes with open arms.