Personally, I feel that today's women are incredible athletes, and can handle a best-3-games-out-of-5 match just as good as the men can, instead of the best-2-out-of-3 that they play now. So I say the women should be made to play as many games as the men, if they're going to get equal prize money. Fair? or not? Same goes for the French and U.S. Open...
2007-02-22 05:49:29 · 5 answers · asked by I hate friggin' crybabies 5 in Sports ➔ Tennis
I'm going to answer this question and sort of throw myself on the grenade because some people are viewing this as a gender equality question, when that is not the core issue. I do believe women should get equal pay for equal work, but that is not what is happening here. The women's champion over the course of a grandslam is on court for about 12+ hours for 7 matches best of 3 sets. The men's champion is usually on court for 24+ hours for 7 matches best of 5 sets. Since there is at least 75% more work involved over the course of a tournament. I would say if the men made 10% to 15% more in prize money would be fair for all the extra work. If you Disagree with this-- lets look at this scenario, would it be fair to have equal prize money if the women decided to play a 1 set winner take all match, and the men should have to play a longer best of 7 set match for equal prize money. The women's champion would then be on court for about 5+ hours and the men' champion would now have been on court for about 40+ hours. If you think this is Not Fair, then the above best of three sets and best of five sets should not be fair either. I beleive a small 10 or 15 % more for the men for 75% more work is a fair bonus. If the women gather together and decide they want to play best of 5 sets throughout the tournament, then they too deserve equal prize money with the men. Otherwise the men should be allowed to petition the governing body for Wimbledon to play only best of three set matches for the duration of the tournament. This of course would lead to more upsets on the men's side and evensome grandslam champions that didn't truly earn the title. Which would in turn lead to possibly compromising the merits of winning a grandslam title. No true tennis fan wants to see the integrity of the sport come into question. Well thats my position, So remember...if your going to throw grenades, leave the pin in.
2007-02-22 14:09:26 · answer #1 · answered by antiochtennis 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not only about they playing the same sets than men. I think they should be paid for the profits they bring to a tournament. If they can attract as many people to the stadiums and get the same tv contracts for their games then yes they should be paid the same but i dont think that right now they bring the same profits than men. Their argument for putting the same prices is that they make the same effort as men all the year long going from tournament to tournament, well that is true but as long as the level they play is not the same as men then i dont see a reason why the prices should be the same. If they demand equal treatment then they should bring equal performance as males.
Im not discriminating women but there are some sports or jobs women should be paid more because they perform better than males and viceverse, and tennis is a sport where males perform better because of the natural abilities and strenghts
2007-02-22 09:48:55 · answer #2 · answered by ganapan7 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right. They are getting overpaid. Until they play the best of 5 format, then they don't deserve the same pay. Look at the conditioning of the top 100 men and the top 100 women. No fat guys for sure, but you look at the top women and outside of the top 10 most could not last 5 sets because they are not in the same shape the men are.
2007-02-22 05:55:11 · answer #3 · answered by commonsense 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The women's game is at least as entertaining as the men's game and that, after all, is what collects the revenue. As far as playing 5-setters, I think that should be abandoned in both the men's and women's game. I've been a tennis player and fan my whole life and I never sit for 3 to 5 hours and watch a tennis match. I don't want to play 5 sets and I don't want to watch 5 sets.
2007-02-22 06:15:22 · answer #4 · answered by AZ123 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they played as many sets as the men do, then I wouldn't mind it that much that the women are getting as much as the men. Since they aren't playing as many sets, they shouldn't be paid the same amount that men are paid
2007-02-22 09:45:25 · answer #5 · answered by december_chick_89 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋