Maria Sharapova slams women's tennis and raises Coco Gauff issue
Maria Sharapova used Coco Gauff as an example as the retired star explained the issues on the WTA Tour.
Maria Sharapova has slammed the state of women’s tennis as she claimed there wasn’t enough marketing or prize money. The retired champion said it was an issue that no one knew where Coco Gauff was playing after winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open.
Sharapova officially hung up her racket in 2020 but has continued to involve herself in tennis, sharing her views on the sport and attending tournaments like the recent US Open. The former world No 1 was in the stands to watch Gauff lift her first Major trophy and tipped the American to transcend the sport.
It meant that the 36-year-old wasn’t happy when she saw a lack of promotion around Gauff’s next tournament as the American recently competed at the China Open in Beijing where she reached the semi-final before losing to Iga Swiatek. Speaking at a Bloomberg conference, Sharapova was asked what tennis needed to do to grow as a business and it was Gauff who came to mind.
“I mean it’s a loaded question. There are a lot of options and roads. I mean look… let’s start with the fact you had Ted on the stage and I was listening to his talk on my way here and he spoke about engagement and the importance of engagement,” the five-time Grand Slam champion started.
“You had Coco Gauff just winning her first Major at the US Open in New York City. I mean the crowd, the bridging culture, sport, fashion, all in that moment. Two weeks later, three weeks later… How many people know that she’s playing a tournament in Beijing?”
With the four Grand Slam tournaments all attracting larger audiences compared to the year-round tour events, Sharapova explained that it was an issue not to tell US Open viewers where they could see Gauff in action next. The Russian star continued: “She got to the semi-finals and lost but I’m sure 99 per cent of the audience at the US Open had no idea where she was playing next. Right away that’s off the bat, that’s a problem.”
And the lack of promotion wasn’t the only issue Sharapova raised during her talk. The 36-time title winner also highlighted the disparity in prize money at tour level as she explained that Grand Slam events committing to equal pay wasn’t enough.
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“Just this week, there’s a men’s tournament actually still happening in Shanghai with the winner’s prize check of £990,000 ($1.2 million). In the same week, there’s a women’s tournament in China with the winner’s check at £99,000 ($120,000),” Sharapova added.
“I don't know if anyone's familiar with those numbers but you go to a Grand Slam and we are celebrating equal prize money. Great. Those are the biggest events with the biggest attention, media, and the buzz. But then the rest of the tour which is the eight or nine other months is there. The disparity is insane and that needs to be addressed.”
It comes after the women’s tennis tour committed to bringing in equal prize money for their players at joint WTA and ATP events by 2027, and at other tournaments by 2033. In the new strategy announced back in June, the WTA also changed the entry requirements for several tournaments, limiting the number of 250-point events that players could sign up for.