WTA Chair & CEO Stacey Allaster yesterday explained her decision to step down from her position by saying that she was "convinced that she no longer had the requisite drive to perform her globe-trotting duties -- which involve approximately 160 days of travel a year -- to the level the women’s tour deserved," according to Christopher Clarey of the N.Y. TIMES. Allaster said that she had "originally planned to continue until the end of her contract extension" in '17. But she said the recent deaths of ATP CEO Brad Drewett and her brother-in-law, Greg Milkovich, were a "wake-up call.” Allaster, a 52-year-old mother of two young children, said that she "was not ill, just profoundly weary." Allaster: "If anything, this is me being very focused on staying healthy." She added, "I don’t want you writing an obituary that Allaster had a stroke or a heart attack. ... It’s a statement we all take for granted, but if you don’t have your health, you have nothing. And I want to make sure I’m healthy for my kids and my husband.” Clarey notes Allaster's "unexpected decision puts the leadership of professional tennis further into transition." The Int'l Tennis Federation will "elect its first new president in 16 years Friday in Santiago, Chile." The WTA will now also have a "new leader as well after more than six years under Allaster." Clarey notes Allaster was "unable to find a new lead global sponsor" for the tour after Sony Ericsson's deal expired in '12. But she did "sign a widely hailed five-year agreement with the city of Singapore to stage the season-ending WTA Championships." The Singapore move was "part of Allaster's and the WTA's push into Asia." Tennis HOFer Chris Evert: "The tennis growth in Asia has been a lot because of her. That's her big contribution if you look at her tenure. I think she was a very proactive and progressive leader." Clarey notes Allaster’s successor "has not yet been chosen," but two "possible candidates" include NBA China CEO David Shoemaker and WTA President Micky Lawler. Shoemaker "was a finalist" for the ATP Exec Chair & President job that was given to Chris Kermode in late '13 (N.Y. TIMES, 9/23).
CHANGE IN DIRECTION: Allaster said the decision had been "two years in the making." She said, "We always knew that once the kids hit the teenage years, that the international travel wasn't in alignment with how much I want to be there for them. I turned 50 two years ago and have been on this path. I came out of the U.S. Open completely worn down. ... The WTA needs someone who is at 150 per cent, and I’m not there any more." Allaster said that she "plans to take a long break, which she never did between previous jobs." The GLOBE & MAIL's Rachel Brady notes Allaster "hopes to stay in St. Petersburg, eventually teach sports business, serve on corporate boards and work with youth sports organizations." Allaster: "I achieved everything I wanted to do at the WTA. I felt a great deal of pressure to be successful as a woman in this role, and to give back to the sport that has given so much to me, and I feel I accomplished that" (GLOBE & MAIL, 9/23).
LEAVING THINGS IN GOOD SHAPE: Tennis.com's Ed McGrogan said while discussing Allaster's departure, “Leadership and tennis have never exactly gone hand-in-hand, but I think Allaster did a pretty nice job in her tenure.” Tennis.com’s Steve Tignor added it has been a "successful run for her and leaves the WTA in a stronger position than when she came in.” McGrogan: “I recall the WTA years ago really playing up the sex appeal of its athletes, and that’s not to say that’s a bad thing or that that doesn’t happen today, but Allaster has let and encouraged the players and their games to really speak for themselves.” Tignor said the WTA “seems a little more secure in promoting athleticism of the players” over sex appeal and the tour "seems a little more willing to bank on that, and that’s positive.” McGrogan: “The WTA has done a nice job of really becoming a very inviting and, for lack of a better term, fun tour to follow” (“The Tennis.com Podcast,” TENNIS.com, 9/22).
