Rafael Nadal was quizzed on the issue of equal pay in professional tennis.
Rafael Nadal believes female tennis players should only be paid as much as their male counterparts if they generate the same level of interest and income. The gender pay gap in professional tennis continues to be hotly debated, with some tournaments giving out a lower amount of prize money in women’s categories.
Equal pay at the US Open came into effect in 1973 after Billie Jean King threatened to boycott the event unless the pay gap was bridged. It took 28 years for the Australian Open to follow suit in 2001, with the French Open and Wimbledon doing the same in 2007 meaning all four Grand Slam events offer equal prize money.
However, some ATP events are yet to bridge the gap despite growing calls for pay equity. At last year’s Cincinnati Open, the final warm-up event before the US Open, men’s champion Jannik Sinner received £832,830 while Aryna Sabalenka took home £415,427 for winning the women’s event.
