Tennis Equal Pay Debate – Naomi Osaka blasts Stefanos Tsitsipas: Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has hit back at World No.5 Stefanos Tsistipas. The Greek sparked a controversy by saying that the women players need to play five setters to earn the same prize money as the men. Follow Tennis News LIVE & Miami Open Tennis LIVE with InsideSport.IN
Lambasting the 23-year old for his comments, Osaka later threatened jokingly that she want men to play nine-setters.
Tennis Equal Pay Debate: Naomi Osaka very upset with Stefanos Tsitsipas after Greek player says ‘women need to play 5 sets to demand equal pay’
Speaking to Eurosport, Osaka branded Tsitsipas as a ‘funny guy’ and said.
“Does he want to play nine sets?
If he tries to extend mine, I’m going to extend his. This guy is so funny, man.
I don’t know. I feel like that would change the structure of tennis. Like people will start doing things differently in the gym and stuff like that,” said Osaka.
‘It will probably also take a very long time to be implemented, but also, a man is talking about a women’s sport. I don’t think his idea is going to go through. Up until now, women have been putting in the work. It’s not just like, oh, it’s come out of nowhere that you get paid the same,” added Osaka.
Tennis Equal Pay Debate – Miami Open Tennis LIVE: Tsitsipas was ousted from the Miami Open in the fourth round on Monday. After facing straight set defeat to 18-year old Carlos Alcaraz he made the comments about women’s game.
Speaking to LadBible, the World No.5 said
“I don’t want to be controversial or anything. There is the topic of equal pay and everything.
“women getting equal pay for playing best-of-three, then getting equal pay for playing best-of-five.”
He however opined that if men played three-setters there would be more variety among male Grand Slam winners.
He argued that women have better endurance than men and therefore can play five-setters.
“It’s different psychology. I’m sure it allows the greater players, the ones that have more experience when it comes to winning Grand Slam titles, on fighting back.
I like the best of five. I think it gets very physical. It makes for a great show, as well.”
Like Osaka, his controversial comments have drawn flak and wasn’t received too well by the women Tennis players.
The WTA had earlier tried introducing five-set games in WTA finals between 1984 and 1998. But it was later dropped and women continued playing three-set matches.
Tennis Equal Pay DEBATE: Naomi Osaka very upset with Stefanos Tsitsipas after Greek player says ‘women need to play 5 sets to demand equal pay’
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