WTA: Male-ing Letters

Oh, man. I’m familiar with mixed doubles, a four-player tennis match with one male and one female on each team, but is mixed singles a thing?

When former pro player and fellow Fairfield High School alumnus James Blake, whom I blogged about back in July 2014 after an initial Blake failure, ended his 14-year career, a reporter for Time reminisced … and missed.

When he wrote of James, “He was good enough, winning 10 WTA titles,” the reporter committed an unforced error, emasculating Blake in the process.

WTA?

WTF?!

The WTA is the Women’s Tennis Association. Blake’s talent engendered a successful career on its masculine counterpart, the Association of Tennis Professionals. He won 10 ATP titles before “male-ing” it in following the 2013 U.S. Open.

The WTA, like the area between the service line and the baseline on a tennis court, is no-man’s land.