Vive le difference? French players reignite row over prize money split

Sports Writer

Thursday 28 June 2012

A skirmish between the sexes was brewing at Wimbledon last night as French players Gilles Simon and Marion Bartoli took issue over whether there should be equal prize money for men and women at SW19.

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Stewart Fisher

Simon, the 13th seed, and newly elected member of the ATP players' council, lit the touchpaper ahead of his delayed second round meeting with Xavier Malisse today when he used the fact that "male players spent twice as long on court at Roland Garros" to justify a claim that men deserve a larger share of the pot.

Wimbledon has offered equal prize money since 2007, after a unanimous vote by the championship committee. This currently guarantees both genders an equal share of £11.54m, with winners of both singles competitions pocketing a cool £1.15m. "Equality in salaries isn't something that works in sport," said Simon. "Men's tennis is more attractive than women's tennis at the moment."Suffice to say his comments were given short shrift by Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up. "Over the year, we are a long way from earning as much as the men," she said. "We put in as much as they do."In light of this brooding row, it seemed instructive to consider whether it was the men or women's seeds who had to work harder for their money yesterday. Roger Federer was certainly hardly made to sweat on Centre Court by Fabio Fognini, the world No.68 from Italy. The Swiss kept his bid for a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon title on track with an effortless 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 victory, then did his best to sidestep the issue of the day. "I hope it doesn't become a big issue during Wimbledon, but it's obviously a debate that's been out there ever since the slams have made equal prize money," Federer said.A expected, Novak Djokovic was extended further by a highly-rated young American called Ryan Harrison. Not that it made any difference. The world No.1 and reigning champion saved six break points in the second set, and took the only three that came his way all match long. The 20-year-old's resistance was crushed by a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 scoreline. "It was a great match and I was in trouble in the second set," Djokovic said afterwards. "But I got the crucial breaks in every set and it was enough to win." Elsewhere in the men's draw, Ernests Gulbis, the conqueror of Tomas Berdych, crashed out to Jerzy Janowicz, but David Ferrer, Janko Tipsarevic, Milos Raonic and Richard Gasquet were other seeds making stealthy progress through the draw.Instead it was the women who were writing the headlines. Caroline Wozniacki, the one-time world No.1, took the first set against Tamira Paszcek before tumbling out of the competition 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-4. Paszcek might have won at Eastbourne last week, but Wozniacki found herself having to refute suggestions that her ongoing relationship with golfer Rory McIlroy was affecting her tennis. US Open champion Sam Stosur was another faller, the girl from Brisbane's early departure completing a thoroughly miserable few days for the Aussies. She appeared to have weathered the storm against Arantxa Rus of Russia before succumbing to a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 defeat, and afterwards said Simon's argument was in effect, too simple. "For some reason it comes up every single year," she said. "Men think this, women think that, and then you've got people in between. But I think we deserve it. People come out and watch us play because they want to watch us play."Following Wozniacki under the roof was Kim Clijsters – an experience she last encountered in 2009, during the first match to be played beneath the new construction, a doubles exhibition with Tim Henman, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. The Belgian continued her stroll through the competition with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Andrea Hlavacova of the Czech Republic. Elsewhere, No.11 seed Li Na went down to Sorana Cirstea, Maria Sharapova recovered from an early wobble to lead Tsvetana Pironkova 7-6 (3), 3-1 when bad light intervened, and there was a victory for former world No.1 Ana Ivanovic. "I think we earn our money," was her opinion. "I mean, I was out there for two and a half hours today."

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Vive le difference? French players reignite row over prize money split

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