According to metro.co.uk, Rafael Nadal has dismissed Victoria Azarenka’s suggestion that the men’s game should switch to three-set matches and believes the gender pay gap in tennis is fairer than in other sports:
Why does she want us to play best of three? We’re happy playing best of five.
It doesn’t matter the prize money, or equal prize money or not, that’s your debate it’s not our debate. It’s interesting that you are always debating on equal prize money in tennis when we are probably the only sport in the world where we are almost equal prize money in most of the events.
So I don’t know why you don’t debate about football, basketball, about all the other important sports that women are miles away from the men. You always debate here, in our sport, when we support more the women tour than any other sport in the world.
So I’m a little bit tired thinking about we are against the girls. No, not at all.
Another thing is who sells more, who sells less, that is another debate, but it’s not about men or women it’s about persons and that’s all. We are the same, somebody deserve more and other ones deserve less.
If you are in the same company as another man, and I am doing better in my job than the other man, I have to win more than the other. It doesn’t matter if it’s a girl or man and I’m a little bit tired about this debate all the time.
Source: metro.co.uk
Nadal is not only a great tennis player but he is a wise and fair man.
VAMOS SWEETHEART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) : ) : ) : ) ; ) ; ) WELL SAID RAFA AND YOUR OPINION MAKES COMPLETE SENSE. IT IS MUCH HARDER WORK FOR MEN PLAYERS AS THEY TRAINED DIFFERENTLY AND FACE TOUGHER, STRONGER HITTERS AND PLAY LENGTHIER MATCHES. I TOO AM TIRED OF THIS ISSUE AND MOSTLY ENJOY WATCHING THE MEN MATCHES. WHY? BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF TENSION AMONGST WOMEN PLAYERS WHICH IS NO FUN TO WITNESS…..AND THE WOMEN TENNIS IS JUST NOT AS EXCITING. I LOVED WATCHING BRILLIANT GRACEFUL STEFFI GRAFF….SHE WAS ONE EXCEPTIONAL, CLASSY PLAYER AND SHE WAS SO FIT AND STRONG AND HER MATCHES WERE EXCITING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) SHE WAS MAGICAL, AND EXTRAORDINARY BOTH ON SPEED, AND IN HER BEAUTIFUL REACH AND RETURNS AND CLEAN AWESOME SERVE. I LOVED HER WHOLESOME TENNIS, AS WELL AS HER DECENCY. SHE WAS VERY STRONG, HONEST DECENT CHARACTER AND NEVER EVER POUTED OR DISPLAYED THE BS MISBEHAVIOR ON THE COURT THAT OTHER WOMEN PLAYERS DO. GRAFF HAD COURT INTEGRITY AND SPORTSMANSHIP LIKE NO OTHER WOMAN PLAYER!!!!: ) I MISS SEEING HER BEAUTIFUL CRAFT, AND HER EXCEPTIONAL MATCHES AND HER GREAT PRESENCE IN WOMEN TENNIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: )
VAMOS SWEETHEART RAFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) WE LOVE YOU AND VERY VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR CLASSY WINS AND BRILLIANT SPEED AND STEADFAST FIGHTING SPIRIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) YOU ARE BRILLIANT WITH YOUR ON THE RUN GENIUS RETURNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )
VAMOS SWEETHEART AND ENJOY EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : ) XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Couldn’t agree more with Rafa. WTA always pushing pushing pushing for more. Their tennis isn’t even appealing with all the loud grunts and screams…too painful to watch. Now the women are even in the broadcast booth for the men’s games…yak yak yak just like a lot of women constantly talking. Bring the men back in the booth for the men’s games. I am a woman who has played tennis most of my life…just like the men’s game more. The men deserve every penny their paid not the women. Sorry ladies. 🎾
Again, Rafa responds to a controversial question without doing his homework.
First and foremost, Azarenka was responding to a tweet regarding 5 sets vs 3 in men’s tennis. Her reply: “Men should just play 3 in my opinion. Will be a much better quality of tennis and hopefully no ruined finals or semifinals because of the exhaustion…like has happened quite a bit.” She ignored the money aspect as you can see from the above.
In contrast, Rafa goes on and on and on about prize money and offers poor excuses for equal pay.
The 4 Slams award equal pay but in lesser tournaments WITH THE SAME BEST OF 3 format there is a startling disparity between ATP and WTA prize money:
Total Prize Money for the Following
WTA MADRID 7,021,128
ATP MADRID 7,279,270
WTA ROME 3,452,538
ATP ROME 5,791,280
[SOURCES: Twitter @Vic7; Essentially Sports; WTA; ATP]
Same amount of sets for the above tournaments. If this is Rafa’s idea of fair heaven help women.
On a positive note, as of 2020 WTA Brisbane Int’l will prioritize women’s tennis AND increase prize money. Slowly but surely the WTA is making inroads with more media attention for its members and players being placed on the “better” courts. And YES Rafa, women’s tennis tournaments do sell out of tickets.
Margo ,
Women’s sport generally attracts fewer attendance than male counterparts . Sad but true . You can put up any argument but face facts . I have been involved in women’s sport and the biggest offenders are is women . Do women support women’s sport ? Not really .
Rafa must be such and tired of this silly question . He’s honest . Recognise that .
Leave 5 sets alone , it’s not Azarenka’s issue . How was Rafa to knoevshe was responding to about a tweet ? You make assumptions and mention ” once again” ! Perhaps you should reflect on what happens at a press conference before jumping to conclusions .
Rafa is respectful of all people but he’s honest too.
Perhaps you should do some research too.
And I wasn’t questioning Rafa’s “honesty.”
And if you referred to my SOURCES you would know what Azarenka said in her presser. I don’t see any sources for your rebuttal.
Some reporters like to draw Rafa into a controversy. He fell for this one. He could have easily said I don’t want to talk about that. So many times before he has done so. Instead he carries on about pay parity in sports other than tennis. Read his response.
I myself like the five-set format but that’s just my opinion just as Azarenka has a right to her opinion of three sets.
Why would anyone pay good money to watch women’s tennis – it is so boooooooooring!! The screeches get louder with every stroke. The men’s grunts are getting louder but at least they don’t screech.
The differences in pay for Rome have to do with the fact that Rome is not a Premier Mandatory tournament (the highest level where 1000 points can be won) for the WTA. It’s the next level down, a Premier. In Indian Wells and Miami, where it’s the same category of points won, the prize money is the same. As for Madrid where it’s also 1000 points for both the WTA and ATP, the pay is the same from the round of 16 on with the women being paid less in the qualies up to the round of 32. In Beijing, which is a Premier Mandatory for the women, the prize money is $8,285,274 for 2018 while the men’s, since it is a 500, not a Masters, is $3,515,225. When you compare prize money, you have to look at whether or not the tourney is the same category level for both the men and women.
True words. Vamos Rafa <3
As a proud feminist, I agree with Rafa here. I love both men’s & women’s tennis and like to see them both get equal attention and pay. But when you look at tennis vs other sports like Rafa said, tennis is miles ahead. Women’s soccer, basketball, etc is hardly on TV (making it harder for people to get behind the women’s games & support them), their pay is fractions of the men’s games and yet reporters seem to continue to talk about tennis. Hopefully, the changes in tennis will spark changes in other sports.
The sun is shining on court, so hopefully this will make Rafa happy. Serve well champ!
Yes I fully agree with you Rafa
The men’s tennis is far more popular then women tennis 🎾
So that’s we’re it is 🎾😎🙊
I agree with you Rafa & it is good to see that you do say it how it is. I am & have been more interested in the Men’s Tennis for years now & this debate about Men & Women is I agree getting pretty tiring.