Mérida Open Players Still Await Prize Money

Mérida, Mexico — The 2026 Mérida Open, a women's tennis tournament held from February 23 to March 1 in the Yucatecan capital, is facing criticism for failing to pay prize money to the participating players. The total prize purse for the event was $1.2 million, including the $185,000 awarded to the champion, Spain's Cristina Bucsa, who defeated Poland's Magdalena Frech in the final.

An Unexpected Delay in Prize Money

According to a message sent by Nikki Rusch, prize coordinator for the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), the payment has been "unexpectedly delayed," and the organization is working to resolve the issue. "On behalf of the tournament, we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused," stated the communication addressed to the players, which was published by AS Mexico.

The tournament featured renowned players such as Donna Vekic, Marina Stakusic, Zeynep Sonmez, Jasmine Paolini, and Mexican Renata Zarazúa, who are also awaiting their respective prizes.

Organizer at the Center of Controversy

Controversy surrounds Gustavo Santoscoy, president of GS Sports Management Mexico, who is responsible for the non-payment. Santoscoy also organizes the Guadalajara Open and has ties to golf tournaments such as the Mayakoba LPGA Riviera Maya.

This situation adds to previous questions about the operation of public facilities used by Santoscoy's company. These include agreements with the State Council for Sports Development (Code Jalisco) that have allowed the holding of private sporting events without any visible economic benefit for the public body.

The delay in payments for the Mérida Open puts the management of women's tournaments in Mexico and the transparency of agreements between the private sector and local sports authorities at the center of the debate.