Thanks to the support of WTA Finals sponsors AKRON and Caliente as well as Ambassador Chris Evert, who joined the WTA and WTA Charities in matching donations for 198 aces, the year-end event raised $44,800 to support the third annual ACEing Cancer campaign to fight women’s cancers.
Giving back to the global communities served by WTA Tournaments and members is a priority for WTA Charities, and a portion of the donations went to Cruz Rosa, an organization in Guadalajara that supports underserved women diagnosed with cancer and their families. Evert and WTA president Micky Lawler personally delivered the donation to the organization during a tour of the facilities.
“Sooner or later, cancer has a way of touching all our lives,” Evert said. “It was so moving to see the way Cruz Rosa supports women in their time of need – as well as the way the women support each other and I know the WTA family’s donation will make a difference.”
The AKRON WTA Finals donations will also benefit WTA Charities’ ongoing initiative to fund a research grant dedicated to women's cancers. The 2021 grant is in honor of the late WTA legend and Hall of Famer Jana Novotna. Novotna, who died from cervical cancer in 2017 at the age of 49, won the WTA Finals in doubles in 1995, and in 1997 took home both the singles and doubles titles joining Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis as the only other players to win both titles in the same year.
Her memory lived on at the 2021 edition with her protégé, Barbora Krejcikova, winning the title in doubles and competed in singles. Navratilova, who was Jana’s close friend and occasional doubles partner, and also served as a Legends Ambassador for this year’s event.
Donations are still being accepted for the ACEing Cancer fundraiser. The WTA will select a research grant recipient following the conclusion of the campaign on Dec. 31. To learn more or to make a donation, visit wtatennis.com/aceingcancer.
