For years, there has been a discussion in tennis about equal pay for male and female tennis players at Grand Slam tournaments and about the merger of the ATP and WTA tennis governing associations. This is opposed by, among others, 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios. The tennis player already commented on the matter some time ago, and recently shared further thoughts.
Grand Slam tournaments are the most prestigious competitions in the tennis calendar. Four grand slams are held every year, each on a different surface. Men play three- or five-set matches, and women play two or three-set matches. This is one of the main reasons why some tennis players are against equal pay at Grand Slam tournaments. Nick Kyrgios is among them.
Nick Kyrgios, an Australian tennis player who reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, loudly expresses his opposition to equal pay at Grand Slams. The tennis player believes that because men play much longer matches than women, because they have to play to win more sets, it is not fair for women to earn the same as them.
– I played for four hours on A.O. (Australian Open), then Svitolina played for about 40 minutes and we earned the same amount. – Kyrgios said in an interview with The Athletic.
Nick Kyrgios is also against the WTA and ATP joining forces. The tennis player commented on the matter after the last ATP and WTA season finals. The tennis player is against the idea because he believes that if the WTA and ATP merge, everything would have to be combined, even the draws before the Grand Slams, which he considers pointless due to the different formats in which the men’s and ladies’ slams are played.
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