By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Sunday, July 30, 2023
Andy Murray shouldn’t be solely a significant champion, he is championed equality for years.
Murray, whose mom Judy Murray was his unique coach, is without doubt one of the few prime male gamers to have labored with a feminine coach, Corridor of Famer Amelie Mauresmo.
Assembly the media as we speak in Washington, DC, Murray was requested to handle the prize cash disparity on the Mubadala Citi DC Open.
Although it is a 500-level match for each the ATP and WTA Excursions, the Washington DC males’s champion will obtain $353,445 whereas the ladies’s winner will money a champion’s test of $120,150.
Total, the Mubadala Citi DC Open’s complete males’s monetary dedication is $2,178,980, whereas the overall girls’s monetary dedication is $780,637.
Murray, who has lengthy advocated equal pay for women and men in tennis, mentioned uniting the ATP and WTA as one professional circuit would be the equalizer.
“I am completely behind equal prize cash, and I believe that it’s good that lots of the tournaments on the tour that we’ve that, and I believe that is actually, actually optimistic,” Murray informed the media in Washinton, DC as we speak. “I believe it’s troublesome for it ever to turn out to be actually equal till the ATP and the WTA type of really mix and work collectively.
“That is my feeling, as a result of I do not know what the, , like what the brink for tournaments is, prefer to turn out to be a 500 on the ATP Tour, if the ATP can have their algorithm as to what ranges they should attain from a prize cash perspective, and I am positive the WTA have their very own.”
Event proprietor Mark Ein says the Mubadala Citi DC Open is dedicated to equal prize cash by 2027.
“I believe one of many issues about tennis that is so particular, clearly, is it is the one sport the place women and men compete on the identical courtroom on the similar time, similar taking part in floor, but it surely by no means felt proper that they had been different-level occasions,” Ein mentioned. “I am actually proud we had been in a position to pull this off, make it the primary mixed 500 on the earth.
“We dedicated to equal prize cash by 2027. The occasion, if it stayed as a stand-alone, it was 2033. So I believe it is a fantastic step ahead for tennis and for this occasion.”
The 2-time Olympic gold-medal champion Murray helps equal prize cash, significantly when women and men are taking part in on the similar occasion, however does not envision it fully taking place till there’s one true unified tour.
“Yeah, like I all the time felt like once we’re competing on the similar occasion on the identical courts, , that we must be taking part in for a similar prize cash,” Murray mentioned. “However I believe for it ever to turn out to be like actually equal, the WTA and the ATP are literally going to have to return collectively and work as one earlier than that is the case, as a result of I do not assume it is that simple simply now that each excursions have completely different sponsors, completely different TV offers, and all of that stuff too.”
Grand Slam champions starting from Billie Jean King to John McEnroe to Chrissie Evert to Roger Federer have supported a mixed tour with McEnroe telling Tennis Now he believes it isn’t solely inevitable, however will develop tennis when it occurs. ATP Chief Andrea Gaudenzi has additionally advocated for a merger.
Again in 2020, Federer famously referred to as on the ATP and WTA Excursions to affix forces as one unified governing physique to strengthen the game after the pandemic.
In response to a tweet from @FedererArmy, who wrote “I’d love for the ATP and WTA to merge”, Federer concurred mentioning a mixed Tour would create readability and get rid of confusion for followers, the Swiss famous person concurred.
I agree with you, It’s too complicated for the followers when there are completely different rating methods, completely different logos, completely different web sites, completely different match classes. https://t.co/zX4XTr9Rr0
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 22, 2020
It in all probability ought to have occurred a very long time in the past, however perhaps now’s actually the time.
These are powerful occasions in each sport and we will come out of this with 2 weakened our bodies or 1 stronger physique. https://t.co/30SbbAla5g— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 22, 2020
“I agree with you,” Federer replied. “It’s too complicated for the followers when there are completely different rating methods, completely different logos, completely different web sites, completely different match classes.Â
It in all probability ought to have occurred a very long time in the past, however could now’s actually the time.”
Picture credit score: @QueensClub