“I don’t want to earn more than Serena,” Rafael Nadal shuns the unequal pay as he advocates for fair compensation drawing in a Serena Williams comparison

Rafael Nadal said that he always been a supporter of pay parity. has always been a supporter of

“I don’t want to earn more than Serena,” Rafael Nadal shuns the unequal pay as he advocates for fair compensation drawing in a Serena Williams comparison

Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams (Images via Imago, The Independent)

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal has advocated for equal play in tennis as he drew a Serena Williams analogy. The 37-year-old said that he has always been a supporter of equal pay in the sport. Nadal also said that if a woman tennis player generated more revenue than a men’s tennis player, she should earn more.

Notably, the debate about equal pay in tennis has existed forever. Although the four Grand Slam tournaments have fixed equal prize money for both men’s and women’s players, there are tournaments where there is still a pay difference. The female athletes are fighting day in and out for their betterment and now Nadal has voiced his support to the cause.

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The 37-year-old has said that equal pay should not be about giving away but rather giving the deserving person the right pay. Nadal also drew an analogy where he claimed that if Serena Williams draws more crowd to the stadium, she must get paid more.

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For me, equality is not about giving away. If Serena generates more than me and fills stadiums, I don't want to earn more than Serena because ‘he is Rafa Nadal.’ I want equality. I want women to earn more than men if they generate it. In tennis, should the prizes be equal? In most tournaments they are. In my sport, I have always supported that internally.
Rafael Nadal said.

How equal is the pay in tennis?

While the four Grand Slam tournaments have been paying equal prize money to both men’s and women’s winners, many tournaments like the Cincinnati Open are yet to adopt equal pay. Indian Wells, Miami Open, and Madrid Open are the three non-Grand Slam tournaments that have equal prize money for both categories.

Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner
Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner posing with their respective trophies in the official photoshoot (Credits: India Today)

Such is the pay parity across different tournaments that five of the top six tennis players in 2022 prize money were men. Also, Iga Swiatek, despite having one of the most dominant seasons in both categories, in 2022 was behind Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in terms of prize money won. Both these players played fewer tournaments and won only one major.

Nevertheless, the WTA has approved a plan to achieve equal pay across the tennis calendar by 2033. As part of the proposal, all tournaments at the 500 and 1000 level that feature both men and women will pay them equally by 2027. It is to be seen if it is achieved or if another promise goes down the drain.

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