MY ACCOUNT
Iga Swiatek says it was “disappointing and surprising” to hear Amelie Mauresmo state that watching women play at the French Open is less appealing than seeing their male counterparts.
Mauresmo, the tournament director at Roland Garros, was asked on Wednesday why only one match out of 10 during the night sessions in Paris had been contested by women.
The former world number one replied: “In this era that we are in right now, I don’t feel – and as a woman and former player, I don’t feel bad or unfair saying that right now you have more attraction. Can you say that? Appeal? That’s the general, for the men’s matches.”
Mauresmo added: “This is what we wanted to showcase to spectators who had only one-match tickets, because some of them do. It was more difficult to have, of course, a match, a night-session match with only female tennis players.”
Alize Cornet’s victory over Jelena Ostapenko in the second round was the only evening match involving women to take place in the first year where night sessions have been on the schedule at the French Open.
After reaching the semi-finals at the expense of Jessica Pegula, the top seed said: “It is a little bit disappointing, and surprising because she was also in the WTA.
“From my point of view, for every player it’s more convenient to play at a normal hour, but for sure I want to entertain and I also want to show my best tennis in every match.
“So, for me, I’m always focused the same way when I’m going out. It doesn’t matter if it’s day session or night sessions. But, yeah, it is a little bit disappointing.
“But it’s always their decision and we kind of have to accept that. But I want my tennis to be entertainment as well, I always said that, and in my toughest moments I always remember that I also play for people.
“I think it’s kind of [the] personal opinion of every person if they like men’s tennis or women’s tennis more, or if they like them equally, but I think women’s tennis has a lot of advantages.
“And some may say that it’s unpredictable and girls are not consistent. But, on the other hand, it may also be something that is really appealing, and it may really attract more people. So it depends on personal views of some people.”
