Gilles Simon unhappy with the same pay rate of men and women – Tennis News
World number 13, Gilles Simon, was recently elected to be a part of Association of Tennis Professionals Players Council has hit out on the equal pay for the women players. The debate is that women play best of three set whilst
men contest a best of five-setter battle in the Grand Slam Championship and keeping the prize money equal for both genders is highly unfair to men.
While conducting a press conference, Simon stated, “I am not against mixed tournaments, it's just that I think today men's tennis is really ahead compared to women. When Rome became a joint tournament it was to save the women because
I remember a final with 20 spectators.”
Top woman Frenchman, Marion Bartoli, spoke against her compatriot, Simon, stating, “Over the whole year, we are a long way from winning as much as the men -- only in a few tournaments and Grand Slams. We are fully invested -- as
much as them. The physical demands, training, investment on a personal level are the same as theirs."
It seems like the debate will go on forever. Previously, men were paid more than women and then it was thought that it is highly unfair to women. Now it’s other way round and probably encouraging a never ending argument. Simon
is probably having a right thought about the effort men put in but they are built stronger than women and on a competitive note, both genders are playing to their potential. Women can play three sets to max because their stamina and built doesn’t allow them
to play further. Similarly, men are stronger and can play longer.
The 27-year-old Frenchman who is seeded 13 in the Wimbledon Championship at London had an easy route to the second round witnessing an injury to his competitor, Paul-Henri Mathieu, in the second set. Both compatriots contested
18 games out of which 11 were won by the former world number six, Simon. He has raised the same argument that was previously being debated on different platform. Probably, the officials will come to a consensus this time around if they try to incorporate both
genders in the discussion.
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