WORLD NUMBER ONE Serena Williams and second-ranked Andy Murray hit back today at comments by Novak Djokovic that a pay disparity between women and men players is justified.
As the ATP and WTA Miami Open began, the world’s top players welcomed the resignation of Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore after the official disparaged women’s tennis at the weekend.
“I think it’s for the best that he’s no longer the tournament director,” said Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber of Germany. “We are working actually so hard and the WTA is helping us.”
Djokovic followed up Moore’s comments with controversial remarks of his own, noting women must go through “hormones and different stuff” and saying men’s matches have more spectators to justify, “I think that’s one of the reasons why maybe we should get awarded more.”
That drew the ire of Williams, who has won 21 Grand Slam singles crowns to 11 for Serbia’s Djokovic.
“It has been, I would say disappointing,” Williams says of Djokovic’s remarks. “I wouldn’t say my son deserved more money than my daughter because he’s a man. It would be shocking.”
Djokovic has a 17-month-old son, Stefan, but Williams openly wondered how he would explain himself to a future daughter.
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Williams said. “If he had a daughter, he has a son right now, he should talk to his daughter and say, ‘Your brother deserves more money than you.’
I would never use sex to compare. We have so many great players, men and women, who have brought so much vision to the sport. Every athlete works extremely hard.
“If I had a son and a daughter I would never tell them one deserves more because of their sex.”
Britain’s Murray even noted Djokovic’s notion that men should receive less than women if their matches were less well attended, citing an example of how many would show up to watch who if Williams and Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovski each had a match in a ticketed session.
“I think there should be equal pay 100%,” Murray said.
“The whole thing doesn’t stand up. It depends on the matches day by day. The men’s game has had some great rivalries for the past few years. The whole of tennis should strengthen from that, not just the men’s game.”
He agreed that when it came to dealing with tournament directors at combined events, the ATP and WTA should sort out prize money matters — “That’s for them to figure out.”
And Murray was particularly stunned to hear Moore’s original comments ahead of what turned out to be an impressive Indian Wells final, with Williams losing to Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-4.
“The timing of it was so strange,” Murray said. “You had it before a great women’s final with 16,000 people. The whole thing was pretty strange and pretty disappointing coming right before a final like that. It didn’t make sense at all.”
Japan’s Kei Nishikori noted that women lure crowds to events as well as men, saying, “You see great women’s tennis too. A lot of people want to see women’s tennis, especially Serena.”
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova said of Djokovic’s comments: “I don’t think it was very nice. It was very disappointing.
“We are training 100% the same as the men. We’re more troubled with hormones and other things? He should not have said what he said.”
“What he said was not right at all,” said two-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka. “The ATP is fighting for prize money because it’s the only way we can move up. I want equality.”
Added US star John Isner: “Our tour has fought for what they deserve and so has the WTA.”
“It’s important to treat everyone at the same level,” added France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska said it was “good” that Moore “stepped back” for his comments but took issue with Djokovic also.
“We work so hard for this, spend so much time practicing. I don’t think we do any less than the men,” she said. “We don’t deserve less prize money.”
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Would be great for the league of Ireland if they progresed
FH looked an average loi team who got a goal against the run of play last week. We were the better team but they might have been keeping it tight.. but if they play like they did last wed and we play like we can then we will advance.. i firmly believe we will score tonight. Garts is a massive loss in the centre of defence but barrett is a good replacement… we are playing FH for €1.2m and a guaranteed 4 more games minimum in Europe.
Who’s we ?!
“We”… Are Ireland’s number one. The Black & White army.
Not doubting you. They really are Ireland’s number 1. Just asked for the craic because my uncle always mocks me when I use ‘we’ when talking about cork city lol
Massive game for Fundalk given the money at stake , great for the town and club . Really well run club these days with a super manager leading the team. Cmon da town !!
Get the name right pal. They’re fun to watch but I wouldn’t go that far
Says the plastic Irish supporter. Take down that Irish cover photo please if your not willing to support your own Irish league.
I’m supporting them no doubt.
Disappointed there isn’t a LIVE ticker thread for this game. It’s only the champions of Ireland playing in the world’s most lucrative competition. RTE not broadcasting it is a disgrace. And they claim to be supporters of domestic football. (Yes I know it’s on Eir Sport).
Dundalk playing some nice football here, they’ve been the better team so far, unlucky to be behind. Horgan & McMillan are doing very well. They’re just lacking a bit of composure in the final third.
Still nothing up about the match tonight disgraceful from the 42
And still nothing. Surely a live ticker wasn’t beyond them. They are the champions of Ireland and our only representatives in champions league. Fair dues to Eir for covering it, super game and even better performance from Dundalk.