Osaka hits back at Tsitsipas' best of five sets comment: "Does he want to play nine sets?"

WTA
Tuesday, 29 March 2022 at 09:30
osaka miami

Naomi Osaka eased past Alison Riske in straight sets to move into the Quarter-Finals against Danielle Collins at the Miami Open.

For Osaka though, one topic she was quizzed about post match by journalists was Stefanos Tsitsipas' comment regarding how he believes equal prize money should mean best of five sets for WTA stars.

The Japanese star hit back ands said that if that happens, she will push for men to play best of nine sets.

"Does he want to play nine sets? If he tries to extend mine, I'm going to extend his," she said.

"I don't know. I feel like that would change the structure of tennis. Like people will start doing things differently in the gym and stuff like that.

"It will probably also take a very long time to be implemented, but also, a man is talking about a women's sport, so I don't think his idea is going to go through."

She was dignified with her response further to Tsitsipas saying that it is due to a multitude of factors such as WTA players having to fight for equal prize money and also the revenue brought in by new stars including Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek.

"I don't want to be rude. I'm really trying to structure this in a way that's not like off-putting, but I think it's like decades of hard work," she added.

"Up until now, women have been putting in the work. It's not just like, oh, it's come out of nowhere that you get paid the same.

"The history of the WTA has been leading them into advocating for equal pay with Billie Jean King, Venus (Williams), Serena (Williams) all that.

"I also think ticket sales are important. I think the WTA has really good up-and-comers, the No.1 player in the world, Iga (Swiatek), is like 20 right? I don't know. It's who people find interesting. Coco (Gauff) is amazing as well.

"For me, I feel like the revenue that you generate, like ticket sales, is very important, and I think the WTA is doing a really good job at that."

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