Aryna Sabalenka Addresses Equal Pay Issue in Women Sports After US Open Victory

Though competitive sports have historically been viewed as a man’s game, that fact has slowly but steadily changed. With time, women’s sports have gained prominence and now are reaching parity with the men in some sports. To put things into perspective, the growth of some women’s sports has even outpaced that of men in recent years. Tennis was one among such sports, and it has seen a massive shift in its landscape. Back during her playing days, Billie Jean King was a trailblazer for the equality of women in sports, and she was a pioneer behind the US Open offering equal prize money for men and women, starting from 1973. As this concept is cemented in the tennis world, Aryna Sabalenka addressed why it is important.

The World No. 1 Sabalenka is riding high after she defeated Amanda Anisimova to win the US Open title. Sabalenka successfully defended her title, becoming the first to do so since Serena Williams in 2014, and her World No. 1 ranking. Subsequently, she appeared on the Jay Shetty Podcast, during which she was asked if she ever felt the pressure that men’s and women’s sports were different.

In response she said, “I’m trying not to focus on that because I just try to represent women’s sport best way possible. And of course, we are all fighting for equal prize money and everything, but also at the end of the day, it’s all about who brings the who brings the show, who brings people into the sport. But I think like now the prize money is equal. Everything is uh getting closer and closer between men and women. So I of course I love it and that’s what women um athletes are fighting for.”

Further, Sabalenka also acknowledged Billie Jean King’s efforts towards establishing equality. Sabalenka went on to add, “Thank you Billie Jean King for fighting for us. I agree that we deserve to be paid the same. Of course like the level is different just because of the physical abilities but the work that we putting is it’s equal to the work that they putting. Of course the level can be different but it just, it’s life. That men are meant to be stronger than women.”

While the US Open was the first tournament to adopt equal pay for both genders, other major tournaments soon followed suit. However, the same is not followed on the WTA Tour, something that Sabalenka believes needs to be changed. With the debate over equal prize money for men and women at Grand Slams everlasting, some even questioned whether women’s matches should be best-of-five sets like men’s matches. However, Sabalenka rubbished this idea and revealed why it won’t work out.

Should women play best-of-five sets at Grand Slams? Aryna Sabalenka has the answer

While the women were offered the same prize money as men, some fans raised concerns about it, as their matches were played over three sets, whereas the men’s matches were best-of-five sets. It’s a conversation that was reignited once more after this year’s French Open men’s final.

After Carlos Alcaraz came from behind to overcome Jannik Sinner in a five-hour-long, five-set thriller, many wondered whether the women should also play 5 sets to maximize the drama and the theater in a way the three-set format simply doesn’t allow for.

As the French Open finalist, Sabalenka was also asked about this, to which she said, “I think probably physically I’m one of the strongest ones. Maybe it would benefit me. But I’m not ready to play 5 sets. I think it’s too much on the woman body. We are not ready for this amount of tennis. I think it would increase the amount of injuries. So this isn’t something I would consider. I’ll leave this for the guys to handle.”

Leaving these concerns aside, Sabalenka will be soaking in the sweet success of her US Open win. It was her fourth major title overall, and if recent form suggests anything, it is far from her last.