ABANDA SLAMS MEDIA
Cites racism for brush-off
Eugenie Bouchard complained last month that she’s not getting enough positive coverage from the media.
Now fellow Montrealer Françoise Abanda is upset because she’s not getting any coverage.
Abanda, who has emerged as the top-ranked Canadian women’s tennis player because Bouchard’s ranking has been in freefall, spoke on a conference call from Trnava, Slovakia, Wednesday after she tweeted that she doesn’t receive the same media treatment a Bouchard because she’s black.
“I feel like when you’re black you don’t get the same exposure that you should get for a player ranked 120. I’m not asking to be exposed (like) a No. 1 player,” Abanda said.
“I’m not asking to get the same recognition as players who have achieved more. I’m just saying there is a minimum that sometimes I don’t even get.”
Abanda released the tweet Wednesday morning in light of her recent move up to 128 in the Women’s Tennis Association rankings, making her the highestranked Canadian woman on tour. Toronto-based Carol Zhao is at 136 and Bouchard has dropped to 167.
The 21-year-old stressed that her tweet wasn’t a shot at Bouchard, but more toward the lack of media coverage she’s received throughout her career. In particular, Abanda referenced a video that Tennis Canada put out for Canada’s 150th birthday in July 2017 that featured a number of Canadian players except her.
When the video was produced last year, Abanda was on the outs with Tennis Canada, which stopped providing her with a coach because of unhappiness over her lack of progress.
Abanda was back in the fold last month when she was named to Canada’s Fed Cup team for a World Group II relegation tie against Ukraine. Abanda was scheduled to play the No. 2 singles behind Bouchard, but she fell during a training session before her first match and suffered a concussion.
She returned to upset Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-4, 6-2 Wednesday in the first round of an ITF tournament in Trnava.