Women’s World No. 3 Jessica Pegula has known as for equal pay throughout the ATP and WTA excursions, getting into to bat for future generations.
The 2023 Australian Open quarterfinalist is the daughter of Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres homeowners Terry and Kim Pegula.
Bloomberg has Terry Pegula the 258th richest particular person on the earth as of February 23, 2023 with a internet price of $US8.29b ($A12.1b).
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But the 28-year-old American isn’t doing it for herself however for the long run generations of gamers coming into the sport.
A Financial Times report from mid-last yr confirmed the ATP Tour paid gamers 75 per cent greater than the WTA.
It doesn’t embrace grand slams that are already equal.
Last yr, Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas questioned whether or not ladies ought to get equal pay in the event that they don’t play best-of-five units at grand slam occasions.
But exterior of grand slams, women and men play best-of-three and there’s nonetheless a disparity.
Pegula was voted in as a member of the WTA Players’ Council final yr alongside the likes of Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys.
Although tennis leads the best way within the ladies’s wealthy listing with Naomi Osaka (#1), Serena Williams (#2), Emma Raducanu (#4), Iga Swiatek (#5), Venus Williams (#6), Coco Gauff (#7) and Pegula (#9) making the highest 10 of Forbes listing of World’s Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2022.
However, solely Osaka (#19) and Serena (#31) made the highest 50 highest paid athletes on the earth.
In phrases of the tennis participant’s wealthy listing, ladies held 4 of the highest 10 positions.
Pegula mentioned though tennis has made strides, ladies’s tennis must be equal.
“I hope obviously we can keep pushing for equal prize money at all events,” she mentioned to Tennis Majors. “Being on TV more.
“I feel like as far as me being on player council, we already tried to do a lot of that. I think we’re starting to see slowly, more of it, especially with United Cup, the response of everyone wanting to see men and women playing on the same court, on the same team.”
Pegula mentioned that the push wasn’t new both and that the present stars had been standing on the backs of generations of girls.
“What we’re pushing for, is just for people to appreciate us playing and wanting to see us play and getting more exposure, then obviously inspiring the next generation of girls that want to do the same thing,” Pegula mentioned.
“Obviously without the past generation, we wouldn’t be here.
“I think it’s always just to keep inspiring each generation because those are the next people. That’s also who we’re fighting for. Some of us are older, as well, on the council. We’re fighting for prize money for people in 20 years.”
And the American is just not alone as World No. 1 Iga Swiatek backs the push.
After criticisms WTA stars had been inconsistent up to now, Swiatek mentioned the very best gamers are rising to the highest.
“For sure I would like to see WTA kind of, I don’t know, expanding business-wise, getting more popular, kind of cutting the difference between WTA and ATP in terms of prize money differences, and also attracting fans as well,” she mentioned.
“Our tennis bring the same emotions as men’s tennis, so I think there is something you can find in women’s tennis that you’re not going to find on the ATP.
“There are many things I would like for the WTA to kind of explore and change. Maybe getting a nice place for the WTA Finals.”
Source: www.news.com.au
