"Would guarantee the show people pay for": Patrick Mouratoglou sees easy fix to solve Grand Slam equal prize money debate
WTA
Patrick Mouratoglou believes there is an easy fix when it comes to Grand Slams and the debate that always roars on surrounding equal prize money and whether or not the women's players deserve it for not playing as much.
Very often, the Grand Slams use a lot of different barometers often when it comes to deciding scheduling and billing with WTA stars often left behind and the debate yearly especially at the French Open surrounding night session matches in particular.
But Mouratoglou sees a quick fix in regards to making the WTA stars play best of five sets as well and gave detailed reasoning on his LinkedIn surrounding why they should and one of the reasons did in fact surround the scheduling problem.
Also he sees it as finally putting to bed the age old issue when it comes to people going on about the debate surrounding the men working harder for their prize money than the women. Albeit of course at other tournaments when they all play best of three, men are still put higher and despite that gap closing by force, some top tournament still aren't fully there yet showing the disparity on the tour.
Grand Slams have for a long time been equal in regards to prize money but many complain about it so would this fix it?
How would Mouratoglou solve it
"For a long time, the argument against Equal Prize Money in Grand Slams – which is a reality – has centered on the "workload". We hear it constantly: "The men play five sets; the women only play three." 100% believe women should play best-of-five in Slams."
He went on to explain why they should in Ending the Pay Debate in Grand Slams. "Moving to five sets would effectively close the discussion regarding athletes "working more" for their prize money."
While he said it would solve an age old problem and ongoing debate in the Night Session recurring crisis at Roland-Garros. "Tournament organizers often avoid scheduling women’s matches at night because a 40-minute "6-1, 6-1" result leaves fans feeling short-changed. Five sets would guarantee the "show" people pay for.
As well as in the mind of Patrick Mouratoglou, it would show off 'athletic brilliance' which he knows they have in them. "I know these women can do it. It would showcase their endurance and the true physical reality of modern competition.
"Of course, this would bring organizational challenges that need to be solved – from court scheduling to player recovery process – but these are logistics. The core idea must be considered if we want to elevate the quality of the spectacle.
"I was asked if women should play 5 from the semifinals. Why not the quarters, or even earlier. Tennis is a show, and five-set battles are among the most legendary stories are written. Why deprive half the field of that opportunity? Between 1984 and 1998, the final of the WTA finals was played in five sets, and it worked well."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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