Emma Raducanu has criticized the gender pay gap in tennis and claimed that female stars are underrated.
Raducanu, 21, dramatically burst onto the scene as one of British tennis’ brightest prospects when he notably won the US Open at the age of 18 in 2021.
However, she has battled injuries for the past two years but has gradually stepped up her recovery in recent months and is set to participate in French Open qualifying next week.
And, ahead of the iconic Roland-Garros event, Raducanu, who narrowly missed out on automatic qualification, insisted that women do not get the credit they deserve and expressed her opinion on the differences with men’s football.
“A lot of players are technically better,” she said. The times. ‘They rely on speed, agility and brains more than brute strength.
Emma Raducanu affirmed that tennis stars are “technically better” than male players
The 21-year-old Briton considered that female players were underestimated and criticized the gender pay gap.
He also said that female stars rely on “speed, agility and brains rather than brute strength.”
“The difference in prize money is huge on the ATP circuit, which I don’t necessarily think is fair, but equally playing three sets in the Slams is much better than five in the men’s tournament, which is brutal.”
Regarding prize money, the French Open will award equal sums to both sexes, with the male and female winners receiving €2.4m (£2.1m), but this is not the norm.
For example, the Italian Open this week is offering £550,000 to its women’s champion, compared to around £750,000 to the winner of the men’s tournament.
Raducanu, meanwhile, has always highlighted his complete dedication to his craft, but continues to receive criticism for his various marketing and sponsorship commitments, with some arguing that it has impacted his development on the pitch.
These include lucrative deals with companies such as British Airways, Porsche, Evian, Nike and HSBC, among others.
However, the 21-year-old Briton insisted she is extremely driven and said her success comes from her family’s strong work ethic, describing her parents, Ian and Renee, as “aggressive” during her youth, before adding that he doesn’t “regret anything.” of her methods.
She explained: ‘They are very aggressive. When I was younger more. They are now in a place where they tell me what they think is best, but eventually they realize that the more they push, the more I will resist.
“I’ve seen great people I played with in the youth ranks who had much more lenient parents, who told me, ‘It’s okay if you lose,’ and those players don’t play tennis anymore, so I don’t.” I don’t blame my parents for it.
Raducanu notably won the US Open when he was only 18 years old in 2021.
Raducanu has been criticized for her various business commitments, but went on to explain her extreme dedication to her craft, which comes from her “aggressive parents.”
She also opened up about her upbringing, revealing how her parents Renee (centre left) and Ian (top right) were “very aggressive”, but added that she feels that has made her the players she is.
She continued: ‘My parents were very against it (the bride and groom) because it interfered with training.
‘When I was younger I wasn’t even allowed to go out with my friends. Many times I was very resentful.
“But it made me feel very safe and comfortable in my own company, which is also a big strength.”