Serena Williams complains about gender discrimination at Wimbledon – Tennis News
Defending Wimbledon champion, Serena Williams blasts the Wimbledon officials for putting her at Court Two while the top seeded men are scheduled at the Centre Court. She accuses officials for the gender discrimination they are
showing at this major grass court tournament held in London, England.
A four times Wimbledon winner, Serena Williams is furious for putting her and her sister, Venus Williams on the third largest court i.e. Court Two, here at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She secured a third round spot
in this major event after making an epic come back from a set down to clinch a breadstick win against Simona Halep. The veteran registered a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over the Romanian teenager on Thursday.
Despite earning the success, Williams accused the organisers of gender discrimination and complained of assigning the elite women on smaller courts as compared to men defending champion, Rafael Nadal and second seeded Serb Novak
Djokovic.
"They like to put us on Court 2, me and Venus, for whatever reason. I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe one day we'll figure it out. But obviously they're not gonna change. [The men's defending champions] are never moved across.
Actually, Venus and I have won more Wimbledons together than a lot of the players, or by ourselves in doubles even. Like I said, they're not going to change, doesn't look like," a frustrated Serena commented.
Spokesman Johnny Perkins defended the officials by saying a lot of factors are included when scheduling the courts. He also explained that factors like T.V broadcasting, rankings of the players and what people want to see are looked
before assigning the courts.
However, Williams further accused that top men seeds, Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Andy Roddick are all assigned either Centre Court or Court One this year and are not moved to any other court.
This is not the first time these discriminations occurred. Top women seeds e.g. Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki, Justin Henin and both Williams sisters have played on Court two due to a tight schedule. In 2008, second seeded
Jelena Jankovic was moved to Court Eighteen and she famously said that she needed a helicopter to reach the court.
The discriminations are not due to racism, as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga played on Court One instead of Williams on Thursday, and it is not due to looks, as Ana Ivanovic would play on Centre Court all the time. The main reason is the gender
discrimination along with snobbery.
The sister’s previously accused the officials of the discrimination in the prize money as well and complaining that Men’s tennis prize money is more than women’s tennis award money.
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