World number one Inga Swiatek on Wednesday called for prize money parity between WTA and ATP events. The reigning French Open and US Open champion is preparing to compete at the Madrid Open after defending her Stuttgart title last weekend, defeating world number two Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Swiatek won a little over 100,000 euros ($111,000), as opposed to Carlos Alcaraz’s 475,000 euros ($526,000) for winning the Barcelona Open.
“I think (tennis) is better than most sports, but there’s still a lot we can work on, you know, getting the same prize money in some of the WTA tournaments than the ATP at the same level,” Swiotek told a news outlet. Conference Wednesday.
“The Grand Slams are already equal, as we know. It’s good, but of course it would be nice if the WTA focused on that, but I don’t really want to get into that, because it’s too much business and Sometimes it’s politics.
“I don’t think I have a lot of influence. All I can say is that it would be good for our sport if it were equal, especially because we do the same kind of work.”
– consistency –
The Polish top seed in Madrid says the women’s game offers more consistency than the men’s and can spark even more emotion.
“I’ve also got people who are saying that men’s tennis is good to watch and that guys can do more because they’re physically and biologically stronger,” Swiatek said.
“But I think there were a lot of people, for example a few years ago, who were saying (the women’s game) is not consistent and that’s a shame and it should be better, but right now basically I think is that we are also more consistent with our games than most people.
“Watching women’s tennis brings about the same feelings, and sometimes more like emotions, because we’re women and we’re a little more emotional.
“But, yeah, I think it would be nice if the WTA could make it too.”
In 1973, the US Open became the first Grand Slam event to offer equal prize money to men’s and women’s players.
This was followed by the Australian Open in 2001, before the French Open and Wimbledon also decided to do so in 2007.
Swiatek said he would have to get used to playing at the higher altitude in Madrid.
“I think (the balls) are more like flying bullets, you have to control them – and the clay is a bit different, the speed and stuff, I just have to get used to it,” she said.
“I want to win every tournament I go to, but Madrid, of course, is still the kind of tournament that I haven’t understood 100 percent of, so I just want to get experience.”
Swiatek will face Austrian ‘lucky loser’ Julia Grabar in her opening match at the tournament.
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