“The examples he cites are absolutely ridiculous”: Marion Bartoli slams Davydenko’s criticism of equal pay in tennis
WTA
Marion Bartoli responded to Nikolay Davydenko’s controversial comments on equal prize money. The former French player harshly rebuked the Russian with a comparison of Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Davydenko, a former world No. 3, recently claimed that it is unfair that men and women earn the same prize money at Grand Slam tournaments.
The 2009 ATP Finals champion stated that equal prize distribution is fair for ATP/WTA 250, 500, and 1000 events. However, he argued that at the majors, the difference lies in women not playing best-of-five matches.
“For example, Serena Williams has won certain Grand Slam tournaments throughout her career, losing only 10 games during the entire tournament. Male tennis players work three times harder than female tennis players in these types of tournaments. It is therefore unfair to pay them the same amount,” Davydenko commented.
Bartoli compares Federer and Serena in response to equal pay debate
Former Wimbledon champion Bartoli addressed Davydenko’s remarks during the latest episode of Les Grandes Gueules du Sport on RMC Sports. She drew comparisons between Roger Federer’s dominance at some Grand Slam tournaments and Serena Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam champion.
“When Federer won Wimbledon in 2017 without losing a single set during the entire tournament, the hourly rate on the court must have been more or less the same as Serena Williams during her Slam victories. There are still women’s matches that last more than four hours,” Bartoli noted.
“There have been many extremely long matches in women’s tennis, and there have been extremely short matches in men’s tennis as well,” she added. “Davydenko is completely wrong, from start to finish. And the examples he cites are absolutely ridiculous,” the former Wimbledon champion concluded.
Bartoli won the 2013 Wimbledon title by defeating Sabine Lisicki in the final 6-1, 6-4, finishing the tournament without dropping a set in her seven matches (14 sets in total). That same year, Andy Murray claimed his second Grand Slam title after defeating Novak Djokovic in the final. That year, Murray played 24 sets, dropping only three of them. Both received a total prize of £1.6m.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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