WTA President Micky Lawler comes to Linz

Micky Lawler, the president of the women's professional tennis organisation WTA, is travelling to Upper Austria Ladies Linz for the first time. This once again shows the high regard in which Austria's most important women's sporting event is held by the WTA. We conducted an interview with the highly respected women's sports official from Florida in advance.

It is a great honour for us that you are coming to the Upper Austria Ladies Linz for the first time this year. What do you associate with our tournament? And what are you looking forward to the most?

Micky Lawler: "The Upper Austria Ladies Linz has an incredible history. It is the second oldest indoor tournament on the WTA Tour and the best players in the world have taken part over the last few decades. The event has been a fixture on the calendar for over 30 years and we are very grateful for the great co-operation. This is my first time in Austria and I'm really looking forward to the atmosphere at the Design Centre. Sandra Reichel and her team have put together a great programme."

You will also be our guest of honour at the 1st Austrian Women's Sports Symposium, which will take place on 10 February at the Design Center Linz. Why are such events important in the supporting programme of a WTA event?

Lawler: "It's a very special event for me personally, but also for the WTA. Many women often have a more difficult path to the top compared to men. We, the WTA, are proud to see so many female talents growing up, each with their own story to be proud of. I can't wait to hear some moving stories. My keynote will also cover the topic of 'Women in the Sports Business'."
 
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Please summarise this success story for us!
 
Lawler: "The WTA is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023 with the theme 'WTA 50: Just Starting', which honours the legends of the sport and the current stars, but looks to the future: What more can be done to improve the sporting landscape for women around the world? How can we effectively advocate for equality and inclusion for all? Throughout the season, fans will be able to engage with content that shines a spotlight on their favourite female players of all time. A group of WTA pioneers led by Billie Jean King will once again visit the Gloucester Hotel in London in June, just as they did at the birth of the WTA. A gala will also be held in New York in the run-up to the US Open, which will be attended by tennis luminaries and allies from other fields."
 
What does the future hold for the WTA?
 
Lawler: "The WTA and its players continue to inspire over 900 million fans around the world - with incredible new talent building a future for themselves on and off the court, and a brand that continues to champion women and grow in value. Over the course of five decades, the WTA has produced some of the biggest names and most successful events in the world, and continues to dominate the Forbes list of highest-paid female athletes and SportsPro's list of the 50 most marketable female athletes and leagues. Over the past three years, the WTA has demonstrated exceptional skill and innovation, as evidenced by its multi-year alliance with Hologic, a leader in women's health and medical technology, and the creation of an integrated marketing team with the ATP. We continue to strengthen our marketing efforts for all types of formats, from streaming and social media to games and live events. We are also adapting the type and duration of content and the need for popular advertising media - all of which is dictated by a new generation of consumers. While a fascinating power shift by young talent is underway, new fans are being welcomed with the new Netflix series 'Break Point' (now streaming)."

The Upper Austria Ladies Linz is dedicating a special tournament day to the 50th anniversary of the WTA! On Tuesday (7 February 2023), the "WTA 50″ day, all ladies will receive 50% on a ticket in the first category. All information about the ticket offer can be found at www.ladieslinz.at to find.