Ons Jabeur (Photo WTA Madrid)
After demolishing Ostapenko with a clear 6-0 6-4 at the WTA 1000 in Madrid, Ons Jabeur presented herself to the press well-charged, bluntly accusing the organization of the tournaments in Madrid and Rome (but those throughout Europe in general) of reserving different treatment for female players compared to male players.. A disparity in game choices, training spaces and visibility on TV and in general, which he says is now unbearable.
“As a woman I am very proud to be part of a sport like tennis” says the Tunisian. “But I believe that we still have a long way to go, especially here in Madrid and Rome, in Europe in general. I feel like they have to respect women a lot more, they have to respect the way we play. There are things we hear here, a lot of things especially in training, where we look at how men and women are treated, and the treatment is completely different. Maybe people on the outside don’t realize it. I’m one of those people who raises my voice. I really enjoy watching women’s tennis, women’s sports in general. I think we deserve better, and I’m not saying this without making any effort, I think it’s normal to ask that we receive what we deserve.”
After this shot straight to the heart of the two biggest WTA 1000 on clay in Europe, Ons continues his reflection on sport & women, also in relation to the impact on the media: “I think that women’s tennis has come very far. I’m grateful to Billie Jean King and the other women who fought so hard, Serena, Maria, all of them. They represented the sport fantastically. I think there are many tennis players who should be aware of what is happening. There are times when people judge women’s tennis without even watching a match. This bothers me a lot. I have the feeling that sometimes we are like… programmed. You say, ‘Come on, let’s go watch football.’ What kind of football? Men’s football? Women’s soccer? I also grew up watching TV, watching football and you see Ronaldo. You don’t get a chance to watch much women’s sport in general. I think things are changing, but it’s 2024, we need more. I want to watch television and not watch “Women’s Football World Cup”. Can I then title the other “Men’s Football World Cup”? It’s the small details that make the difference. I, for example, would like to arrive at the hotel, here in Spain, turn on the television and see that they are broadcasting a women’s tennis match. I still haven’t seen a single women’s game since I arrived. Everything they show is masculine and I understand that there are many Spaniards who play, but is it so difficult to ask for just one game? It’s very frustrating to see all this. How can you inspire girls if you don’t show a single women’s game? Their thinking is clear, men’s tennis is better” concludes Jabeur.
Really harsh words, bluntly, straight to the point. After having vigorously defended the WTA’s choice to bring the Finals to Saudi Arabia, Ons now attacks the entire system, forcefully pushing the image of women’s tennis. Criticisms that certainly will not go unnoticed.
Marco Mazzoni
