WTA chairman Simon announces retirement. He oversaw player pay increase, took heat for Saudi stance

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WTA chairman Simon announces retirement. He oversaw player pay increase, took heat for Saudi stance

2025-05-15 23:22 Last Updated At：23:30

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — WTA Tour chairman Steve Simon has informed the organization's board of directors he plans to retire in December, the women’s tennis circuit announced Thursday.

Simon was tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, for 13 years before he was hired as chief executive of the WTA in 2015.

Under his watch, the women’s circuit committed to a $400 million increase in player compensation over the next 10 years, created a foundation to elevate its social impact in communities around the world and entered a partnership with CVC Capital Partners to accelerate commercial growth and drive reinvestment in the sport.

Last year, the WTA restructured its leadership, with NBA G League executive Portia Archer taking over as CEO and Simon focusing on strategic development and governance as chairman.

Simon has been a target for criticism. Last year, he and the tour were sued by Ukrainian tennis player Lesia Tsurenko because of the way it has handled Russian and Belarusian players amid the war in Ukraine.

In 2023, Hall of Famers Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova questioned how he could sign off on a lucrative three-year deal with Saudi Arabia to host the WTA Finals despite questions about LGBTQ+ and women’s rights there.

Simon also led a WTA boycott of China from 2021-23 over concerns about Grand Slam doubles champion Peng Shuai’s well-being. Peng dropped out of public view after she accused a Chinese government official of sexual assault. China was allowed to host tournaments again after the WTA received assurances from people close to Peng that she was safe and living with her family in Beijing.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.