"Doesn't bother me" - Paula Badosa makes bold claim about gender wage gap in tennis, says men generate more income than women
Paula Badosa recently addressed the long-standing debate about pay equality between male and female tennis players. The Spaniard's stance on the issue, while very clear, is in contrast to that of her peers on the WTA Tour.
The pay gap between players on the ATP and the WTA Tour has long been a point of contention in the tennis world. Over the years, many tournaments, including the Grand Slams and several 1000-level events, have matched the prize pool for men's and women's competitions. But true parity across the board is yet to be achieved.
Spanish tennis star Paula Badosa weighed in on the topic during her recent conversation with La Vanguardia. In the interview, the former World No. 2 articulated her unambiguous belief that tennis players' earnings are tied to the revenue they bring into the sport. In that sense, men make more money because they bring in more revenue. She used the example of the fashion industry to better explain her thinking, saying female models typically earn more than male ones.
"I have always been very clear that we are what we generate, regardless of gender. Are there differences? Maybe there are, but because men's tennis generates more than women's, just as in the world of fashion, for example, the opposite occurs between male and female models," Badosa said.
The 26-year-old added that sports offer better pay equity to men and women than other fields. She also mentioned that while she might disagree with her colleagues on the topic, the "resonance" among them makes her "proud."
"In my sport, in fact, it is much more equal than in others, and it doesn't bother me that if the best tennis players generate more, they earn it in proportion. What I can tell you is that between us, although we don't all think the same in this sense, there is a real resonance that makes me very proud," Badosa said.
Paula Badosa to next play at Citi Open 2024
Paula Badosa is among the handful of tennis stars who will not be in action at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Instead, she will compete at the 2024 Citi Open in Washington, coinciding with the Paris Olympics. Aryna Sabalenka, Daria Kasatkina, and Ons Jabeur are the other big-name players who will compete in the WTA 500 tournament.
Paula Badosa received a main draw wildcard to compete at the Citi Open, which will kick off the North American hard court swing of the WTA Tour ahead of the US Open.
Unlike the past couple of seasons, Badosa has been consistent on the 2024 WTA Tour. She has played 16 tournaments this year. The World No. 65's best performances on the 2024 WTA Tour include a fourth-round appearance at both the Wimbledon Championships and the Madrid Open, along with a quarterfinal finish at the Bad Homburg Open."