'Equality' at Wimbledon

by LoveUniHateExams 11 Replies latest social entertainment

• 

  LoveUniHateExams

  Serena Williams has just won the Wimbledon ladies' singles championship. She beat Garbine Muguruza in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. The match lasted 1 hour 24 minutes.

  Tomorrow, Djokovic plays Federer in the men's singles final. It is a rematch of last year's men's final. Djokovic won that classic in 5 sets, the match lasting the best part of 5 hours. Tomorrow should be another great match - Federer served excellently against Murray and gave him something of a tennis lesson on Friday.

  I think you know where I'm going with this. The ladies Wimbledon champion receives the same amount of money as the men's champion.

  So, should the ladies' matches be played over 5 sets or should the male tennis players receive a pay rise?
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Regardless of how equal men and women are, there is a difference. The very best male athletes can go longer than the very best female athletes in many endurance-type sports. This is not anti-feminist of me to say this. Olympic records and world records attest to it. Because of this, Wimbledon has more sets for the men so that they can prove their endurance. If they could get them (and the women) to go even longer, I am sure they would consider it.

  It is the way that women players draw crowds and television audiences that got them equal prizes at Wimbledon. Besides, equal pay for equal work is really more about white and blue collar jobs. Women can endure just as long at a desk or assembly line as a man or can typically accomplish just as much physically, at a labor job. Most laborers are not "very best athletes" and the degree of difference quickly tapers off once we've left that arena or tennis court.
• 

  Ruby456

  So, should the ladies' matches be played over 5 sets or should the male tennis players receive a pay rise?
  

  No.

  so long as men and women are doing their best in tennis they should receive equal money. Men go for five sets because that is what they are capable and can demonstrate their best in five sets. Women play three sets because they can show their best in three sets and because that is within their capability.
• 

  LoveUniHateExams

  It would indeed be mean of me to advocate 5 sets for ladies' matches, for the reasons OTWO described.

  so long as men and women are doing their best in tennis they should receive equal money - this is the part I have serious issues with. For the past decade or more, spectators have watched one of the Williams sisters thump some young Russian lovely in straight sets whilst any combination of Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray have slugged it out over 4 or 5 hours.

  Perhaps male tennis players should get a small, nominal, pay rise, let's call it £1,000.
• 

  nicolaou

  Okay, I'll stir this pot.

  Name me any other profession where women get equal pay for less than equal work? In the UK we have female police officers, firefighters and soldiers, all on equal pay as they rightly do the same dangerous jobs. Here's what the British Army has to say;

  When you join the Army, you can be sure the challenges, rewards and opportunities are the same whether you’re male or female. And except for a few front-line combat roles, women have access to the same jobs, pay, training and promotion as men.

  http://www.army.mod.uk/join/Women-in-the-Army.aspx

  Thwacking a ball across a net? Play 5 sets worth of tennis if you want 5 sets worth of pay.
• 

  cofty

  Prize money should be based on a percentage of the income that can be generated by the event.

  If similar numbers of tickets and TV audiences can be sold for the women's game as the men, then they should receive the same money. If the men's game generates significantly more money than the women's then they should not be subsidising the women's prize money.

  Sport is part of the entertainment industry. Top of the bill should expect the lion's share of the income.
• 

  DJS

  Nicolau: "Name me any other profession where women get equal pay for less than equal work?"

  I will name two: modeling and porn actor. In both industries, women make a lot more than their male counterparts, for the same work.
• 

  Splash

  I once read that if Serena Williams was playing in the men's category she would be ranked about 50th.
• 

  DJS

  Splash,

  More accurately she would likely not be ranked, by her own admission. There are many male tennis players who could soundly beat her and you have never and will never hear their names. There simply is a big difference in strength, endurance and speed.
• 

  Ruby456

  I challenge any male tennis player to go five sets with Serena's ample female endowments