Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Victoria Azarenka says French Open needs equality after expressing concerns over scheduling

Written by 
Published in Tennis
Sunday, 06 June 2021 08:44

Two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka says there is little true equality between men and women at the French Open.

The prize money is equal, but of the first seven matches scheduled in the high-profile night session, six have been chosen from the men's draw.

"What concerns me is when somebody from the French Federation is continuously trying to say there is equality and only pointing to prize money," the former world number one said, when asked directly about the scheduling.

"But everything else, I wouldn't even agree for a little with that. And that's disappointing."

The French Tennis Federation, the sport's national governing body, is responsible for organising the French Open.

For the first time the French Open has introduced daily night sessions, which consist of one match starting at 21:00 local time under the floodlights on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Serena Williams and Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu played the first-ever night session match on Monday, but the past six nights have all featured men.

Ten night sessions have been planned, and are being billed as the match of the day.

"I think there are enough examples over the years where we have heard remarks towards women, where we've seen two women's semi-final matches playing on the outside courts," Azarenka continued, in a reference to 2019, when all the semi-finals had to be played on the same day, and Centre Court was reserved for the men.

"I think sometimes you need to hold some people accountable for some of those things, and not continuously point out to the obvious of prize money."

She added it "would be already a step forward" if she were ever asked to play at night in future.

Quizzed about this before the French Open got under way, tournament director Guy Forget refused to commit to an equal number of women's matches.

"We want the fans to be happy," he said.

"Tennis is a show, and we want people to see a two-hour match if they can. Now there will be probably times when we will have great women's matches, very close, very tight - and those matches will probably have to be on the night session.

"When we made that call a while ago, we thought: Are we going to have night session with two matches? New York does, and Melbourne does, and I don't know if the French people were ready to stay until two or three in the morning to watch tennis matches in Paris."

Azarenka was speaking after losing her fourth-round match to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia, and was also critical of the state of the courts.

"It's a bit frustrating every time you are trying to deal with the organisation here," she continued.

"Everything you hear is 'pas possible'. When you are coming to warm up before the match and the court is completely wet, where it's kind of dangerous to move, I just have a genuine question: 'Why can it not be ready?'"

Read 282 times

Soccer

Pogba to star in French movie amid doping ban

Pogba to star in French movie amid doping ban

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWorld Cup winner Paul Pogba will star in a French film to be releas...

Salah back on target as Liverpool put 4 past Spurs

Salah back on target as Liverpool put 4 past Spurs

Liverpool finally found some form in a 4-2 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday i...

Leverkusen streak up to 48 with Alonso suspended

Leverkusen streak up to 48 with Alonso suspended

Champions Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten streak as they secured a 5-1 away victory over Ei...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Why wait? Malone wants better starts by Nuggets

Why wait? Malone wants better starts by Nuggets

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDENVER -- On the way to the championship last season, the Denver Nu...

Edwards outduels Jokic: Wolves 'know who we are'

Edwards outduels Jokic: Wolves 'know who we are'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDENVER -- If you asked another young star what it felt like to go i...

Baseball

Dodgers place Phillips on IL, activate Treinen

Dodgers place Phillips on IL, activate Treinen

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-handed reliever Evan Phillips...

Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

Arraez a big hit in Padres debut, goes 4-for-6

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPHOENIX -- Luis Arraez had four hits and an RBI in his first game a...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated