Badosa & Jabeur Believe "It's Time For a Change" to Level Up Prize Money

Paula Badosa and Ons Jabeur have become the latest WTA players to speak out about the pay disparity between male and female tennis players.

At the Italian Open this week, the male singles winner will pocket $8.5 million in prize money, while the female singles winner will only get $3.9 million, despite both sets of players taking part in best of three sets matches. In addition, ticket prices for both the male and female games are capped at the same price throughout the competition.

The issue relating to competition prize money has been a hot topic recently, with Iga Swiatek sharing her views on inequality in April. Ahead of the Italian Open, Badosa, who is a leader of the Professional Tennis Players Association, spoke to the press and said players have little say and cannot share opinions freely on the topic of equal prize money. 

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Another player to voice their opposition towards the difference in prize money before the competition in Rome was Ons Jabeur. The 28-year-old Tunisian player did not hold back when sharing her opinion on the issue and believed the competition organisers are the people accountable for the inequality.

It remains to be seen whether competition organisers will adapt to ongoing player concerns about the huge gulfs in prize money between male and female players. However, the views of Jabeur and Badosa highlight the fact that players will continue to provide opposition until organisers find ways to resolve this long-term problem.

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