Jabeur advocates for gender respect in tennis after Madrid Open triumph
MADRID: Tunisian tennis sensation Ons Jabeur expressed her frustration with European tournament organisers for what she perceives as a lack of respect towards women players, following her advancement to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open.
In her post-match remarks, Jabeur emphasized the disparity between the treatment of male and female athletes at European tournaments, particularly in Madrid and Rome. She urged for more respect and equitable treatment for women, stating, “I feel like they need to respect women more and they need to respect how we are playing.”
Jabeur shared her personal experiences, highlighting instances where women players were denied equal access to practice courts and their matches received less television coverage compared to men’s matches. “The way they treat women here and men, they’re completely different. Maybe people from outside, they don’t see it,” she added.
Expressing her frustration, Jabeur underscored the importance of showcasing women’s tennis matches on television, lamenting the lack of visibility for female players, even in countries like Spain where tennis enjoys immense popularity. “For me it’s really frustrating to see that. How can you inspire young girls without showing any match in that?”
Despite her advocacy for gender equality in tennis, Jabeur remains focused on her on-court performance, gearing up for her quarter-final clash with either Coco Gauff or Madison Keys.
In the women’s competition, top seed Iga Swiatek also advanced to the quarter-finals with a commanding victory over Sara Sorribes Tormo, setting up a meeting with Brazilian player Beatriz Haddad Maia.
