Iga Swiatek calls for equal prize money, says women's tennis is more consistent than men's right now
Iga Swiatek recently called for the tennis authorities to implement equal prize money across the whole calendar for the ATP and WTA tours. The current WTA World No. 1 stressed that she and her colleagues get paid a lot less for doing the 'same work,' and also claimed that women's tennis has had more consistency than the men's game of late.
The four Grand Slam tournaments give out equal prize money for the men's and women's champions, but there is still a disparity in prize money at most other tournaments. While Swiatek herself took home $114,976 (€104,000) for winning the Stuttgart Open (a WTA 500 event) last week, Barcelona Open (ATP 500 event) champion Carlos Alcaraz won $527,344 (€477,000).
Speaking about the prize money issue, Swiatek urged the WTA to make equal prize money a priority, while also highlighting the 'politics' involved in such matters.
"There is a lot we can work on in terms of, you know, getting equal prize money on some WTA tournament compared to ATP on the same level," Iga Swiatek said in a press conference ahead of the Madrid Open.
"Grand Slams are already even, as we know," she added. "That's nice, but for sure it would be good if WTA would focus on that, but I don't really want to get into that, because it's a lot of business and sometimes politics."
While the Polish star admitted that she does not have enough influence to bring about a change with regards to prize money, she stressed that equal prize money would be fair as both the ATP and WTA tours work equally hard.
"I don't think I have, you know, a lot of influence. I just can say that it would be nice for our sport if it was equal, especially because, you know, we kind of do the same work," Swiatek said.
The 21-year-old also challenged the existing notion that male players must earn more because the men's tour is more 'consistent.'
"I also get people who are saying that men's tennis is nicer to watch and guys can do more because they are physically and biologically stronger, but I think, you know, there were a lot of people, for example a couple of years ago, who were saying that WTA that it's not consistent and that's a shame and it should be better, but right now basically I think, you know, we are even more consistent than the guys, you know, with our game," Iga Swiatek stated.
The three-time Grand Slam champion feels that watching women's tennis is also more enriching.
"Watching women's tennis gives the same emotions, and sometimes even like more emotions, because we are women and we are a little bit more emotional (smiling)," she added.
Iga Swiatek bidding for maiden title at Madrid Open
Iga Swiatek is set to compete in the Madrid Open for only the second time in her career. Her only appearance so far at the WTA 1000 event was in 2021, when she reached the third round.
Now among the favorites to win the title, Swiatek aims to make the most of her experience playing in Madrid.
"Madrid, for sure, is still this kind of tournament that I haven't figured it out for 100%, so I just want to get the experience," Iga Swiatek said.
Swiatek beat Aryna Sabalenka in the final in Stuttgart last week. She will begin her Madrid campaign in the second round against either Julia Grabher or Viktoriya Tomova, and could face Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. Rybakina is the only player to have beaten Swiatek twice this season.