I agree with him completely. When women players play 5 sets like the men, then they can have the same pay.
Murray: Female players shouldn't get same as men
25th June 2006
Murray sparks controversy
He has captivated the nation with his mop of curly hair, frequent stroppy outbursts and natural feistiness on the court. But after his latest diatribe, it looks likely that Scottish tennis star Andy Murray might lose more than a few female fans.
Speaking on the eve of the Wimbledon championships, the fiery teenager said women players do not deserve to be paid as much as men. The 19-year-old said games were easier for women because they typically spent half as much time on court as men.
He claimed most tennis spectators turned up to see men play and were generally only interested in female stars such as Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Live Wimbledon coverage on our special section
Murray’s outspoken comments will add fuel to the row over the disparity between prize money for players - the winner of this year’s men’s singles tournament will pick up £655,000, compared with £625,000 for the ladies’ champion.
He said: "I don't think it's fair that the women get paid the same as the guys, because if you look at it, the guys have the potential to play a five-and-a-half-hour match. A lot of the women can win the first three or four rounds having dropped no more than four games. That doesn't really happen in the men's [tournament]. There are a lot of tough matches out there."
He added: "[The prize money] is something that everyone has argued about. I think the majority of people who come to watch during the first week at Wimbledon will be coming to watch one of the male matches.
"Obviously, when the big names like Sharapova and Henin and those sort of players come out, people will turn up to watch them, but I just think there's more interest at the start of the tournament [in the men] than there is for the women."
Last week Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, wrote to the All England Club last week saying she was "deeply concerned" about the prize money issue at Wimbledon, claiming that it tarnished the championship's international image.
Earlier this year the Dunblane star was at the centre of another sexist skirmish when he said he and his opponent had "played like women".
Jo Durie, the former Wimbledon player and BBC tennis commentator, accused Murray of making "silly comments". She said: "I don't agree with his remarks at all. What he has said is very sexist. Nowadays there are fewer easy matches for women and when I look at the men's draw, I can see games where the players will spend hardly any time on court at all."
Andrew Walker, spokesman for the WTA, the women's professional tour, said Murray’s views were out of line with what most of the public think. But Suzie Mair, a Scot who played at Wimbledon in 1984 and now covers tennis for STV, agreed with Murray.
"It is fair enough that the men get paid more than female players," she said. "Unless women play tournaments with five sets, I don't see how they can demand to be paid the same, so I think Andy is right on this one."
And Mat Hulbert, the coach development manager with Tennis Scotland, said: "These remarks are the hallmark of a young guy with big expectations on his shoulders. There is a lot of pressure on him because Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski are getting older and the public expects him to do well."
Murray has suffered a recent run of early tournament exits and split from his coach Mark Petchley in April. But it emerged yesterday that his main backer, Royal Bank of Scotland, has signed him up for another two years.
dailymail.co.uk
Murray: Female players shouldn't get same as men
25th June 2006
Murray sparks controversy
He has captivated the nation with his mop of curly hair, frequent stroppy outbursts and natural feistiness on the court. But after his latest diatribe, it looks likely that Scottish tennis star Andy Murray might lose more than a few female fans.
Speaking on the eve of the Wimbledon championships, the fiery teenager said women players do not deserve to be paid as much as men. The 19-year-old said games were easier for women because they typically spent half as much time on court as men.
He claimed most tennis spectators turned up to see men play and were generally only interested in female stars such as Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Live Wimbledon coverage on our special section
Murray’s outspoken comments will add fuel to the row over the disparity between prize money for players - the winner of this year’s men’s singles tournament will pick up £655,000, compared with £625,000 for the ladies’ champion.
He said: "I don't think it's fair that the women get paid the same as the guys, because if you look at it, the guys have the potential to play a five-and-a-half-hour match. A lot of the women can win the first three or four rounds having dropped no more than four games. That doesn't really happen in the men's [tournament]. There are a lot of tough matches out there."
He added: "[The prize money] is something that everyone has argued about. I think the majority of people who come to watch during the first week at Wimbledon will be coming to watch one of the male matches.
"Obviously, when the big names like Sharapova and Henin and those sort of players come out, people will turn up to watch them, but I just think there's more interest at the start of the tournament [in the men] than there is for the women."
Last week Tessa Jowell, the culture secretary, wrote to the All England Club last week saying she was "deeply concerned" about the prize money issue at Wimbledon, claiming that it tarnished the championship's international image.
Earlier this year the Dunblane star was at the centre of another sexist skirmish when he said he and his opponent had "played like women".
Jo Durie, the former Wimbledon player and BBC tennis commentator, accused Murray of making "silly comments". She said: "I don't agree with his remarks at all. What he has said is very sexist. Nowadays there are fewer easy matches for women and when I look at the men's draw, I can see games where the players will spend hardly any time on court at all."
Andrew Walker, spokesman for the WTA, the women's professional tour, said Murray’s views were out of line with what most of the public think. But Suzie Mair, a Scot who played at Wimbledon in 1984 and now covers tennis for STV, agreed with Murray.
"It is fair enough that the men get paid more than female players," she said. "Unless women play tournaments with five sets, I don't see how they can demand to be paid the same, so I think Andy is right on this one."
And Mat Hulbert, the coach development manager with Tennis Scotland, said: "These remarks are the hallmark of a young guy with big expectations on his shoulders. There is a lot of pressure on him because Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski are getting older and the public expects him to do well."
Murray has suffered a recent run of early tournament exits and split from his coach Mark Petchley in April. But it emerged yesterday that his main backer, Royal Bank of Scotland, has signed him up for another two years.
dailymail.co.uk
