© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
2008 Australian Open semifinalist Daniela Hantuchova seemingly suggests WTA players should stop complaining about unequal prize money and instead be thankful to have a solid cheque. In recent times, the WTA and its stars have been making a strong push to bridge the gender pay gap in tennis.
In recent history, Serena and Venus Williams, as well as Maria Sharapova, were some of the biggest names who were leading the charge for equal prize money in tennis. But Hantuchova, a former world No 5, seemingly thinks that women already have enough.
“It seems to me a bit like being spoiled. Especially on the women’s circuit, where the prize money is what it is, and the girls are definitely not working from four in the morning somewhere in the mines. It’s tough, but we never allowed ourselves to criticize because we knew the cheques we were getting were because of the tournament,” Hantuchova said on the Livesport Daily podcast.
Hantuchova agrees certain changes need to happen in tennis
In recent times, players have been expressing more publicly their displeasure with the calendar and schedule in tennis, with many arguing that constantly changing continents and time zones is very detrimental to one’s health.
Hantuchova, who was 34 when she walked away from pro tennis in 2017, agrees those conditions are not ideal and called for a change. In Montreal, Elena Rybakina harshly criticized the WTA after finishing her match at around 3 am local time and then having to play next day again.
“Regarding travel and the destinations in which WTA tournaments are played, on the contrary, I agree with the players. From this point of view, tennis is the most demanding sport that exists. For me personally, it was one of the reasons I quit.
The body could no longer handle the time differences, I kept waking up out of the normal rhythm, it was unhealthy. I told myself that it wasn’t even worth the money, that I’d rather be well at 60. It was over the edge,” Hantuchova said.
