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World number one Iga Swiatek expressed her desire that the women's game's governing body, the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) could play a crucial role in 2023 to support the tour and further close the pay gap that currently exists between the men's and women's tours outside of the sport's major competitions.
Tennis managers have made an effort to lead the fight for equality in recent years by offering equal prize money to men and women at the four Grand Slam tournaments. Nonetheless, WTA Tour competitions frequently still give less prize money than competitions on the men's tour, which has its own circuit. A primary priority for the tour as it celebrates its 50th anniversary should be to make tournaments more appealing for participants, sponsors, organisers, and spectators, according to world No. 1 Swiatek. "For sure, I'd like to see the WTA expanding business-wise, getting more popular, cutting the difference between WTA and ATP in terms of prize money and attracting fans," Swiatek said, according to Sky Sports. A report in the Financial Times said the men's ATP Tour as of midway through last year offered players 75 per cent more prize money in tournaments - excluding the Grand Slams - than the women's tour. "Our tennis brings the same emotions as men's tennis. There's something you can find in women's tennis that you're not going to find on the ATP. Right now, after a couple of years of hearing, we're not consistent, we're actually consistent. There are top players who are playing great in most of the tournaments," Swiatek said. The WTA postponed lucrative tournaments in China out of worry for former No. 1 doubles player Peng Shuai, a decision that is estimated to cost the organisation hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and advertising. In a 2021, social media post that was taken down from the nation's internet, she accused a prominent member of the Communist Party of sexual assault. Then, she reneged on her statement. American Jessica Pegula, a member of the WTA player council member reiterated Swiatek's remarks. She cited the mixed team competition known as the United Cup from earlier in the season as a means of doing that. "I hope we can keep pushing for equal prize money at all events, being on TV more. We're starting to see slowly, more of it, especially with the United Cup, the response of everyone wanting to see men and women playing on the same court, on the same team, which was really fun for us. People love to see that," Pegula said. (ANI)
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