http://topendsports.com/rob/2007/03/15/womens-tennis-prize-money/ All Sports Comments Sat, 17 May 2008 03:29:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 http://topendsports.com/rob/2007/03/15/womens-tennis-prize-money/#comment-8816 Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:36:45 +0000 http://topendsports.com/rob/2007/03/15/womens-tennis-prize-money/#comment-8816 There was a time when the women's game was a bigger draw..before professionals were allowed to compete at the majors. In that era, between (say) 1930's and 1968, everybody knew the Mens' champion was merely the best one that hadn't turned pro and wasn't the same standard as the best pros, and that the Womens' champion was THE BEST. More recently, when the men became pure biff-bang-wallop, the womens' game was more interesting. The rise of Federer has redressed that balance, so the mens' game is again enjoyable for the first time since the early 80s. However, these are subjective rather than objective measurements, and the fact remains that the men have to work harder (best of 5 rather than best of 3). I've no problem with equal pay if the women up their matches to best of 5. There was a time when the women’s game was a bigger draw..before professionals were allowed to compete at the majors. In that era, between (say) 1930’s and 1968, everybody knew the Mens’ champion was merely the best one that hadn’t turned pro and wasn’t the same standard as the best pros, and that the Womens’ champion was THE BEST. More recently, when the men became pure biff-bang-wallop, the womens’ game was more interesting. The rise of Federer has redressed that balance, so the mens’ game is again enjoyable for the first time since the early 80s. However, these are subjective rather than objective measurements, and the fact remains that the men have to work harder (best of 5 rather than best of 3). I’ve no problem with equal pay if the women up their matches to best of 5.

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