Rome Open 2023: BIG step towards gender equality, as Italian Open organisers to pay female players same as the men, CHECK Prize Money Details here

Tennis icon and activist Billie Jean King has often said that she was moved to form the women’s pro circuit after earning $600 for her 1970 Italian Open title — while Ilie Nastase took home $3,500 for winning the men’s tournament the same year.

While the Grand Slams have already made this change, Masters 1000 and lower level tournaments haven’t moved in the same direction. This step by the Italian tennis federation could motivate other tournament director and organizers to consider paying the WTA and ATP players the same amount of prize money.

Italian Tennis Federation on the move by Rome Open 2023

“For the first time in history we have started the process that over three years will lead to equal prize money between the women’s and the men’s tournaments,” Italian tennis federation president Angelo Binaghi said on Tuesday at the presentation for this season’s event, which will be held May 10-21.

“We’re talking about 8 million euros (nearly $9 million) for each event,” Binaghi added. “We can make this big leap because the first female CEO of a big bank in Italy has provided us with the necessary resources.”

Having received an upgrade in status by the ATP and WTA, the Italian Open is expanding from eight to twelve days this year and will feature 96-player draws for men and women — up from the previous status of 56 players in each event.