WTA Meets With Grand Slam Countries In Istanbul

Written by: Staff on 24th October 2012

WTA Championships: Maria Sharapova - Sara Errani

WTA Meets With Grand Slam Countries In Istanbul

epa03443996 Maria Sharapova of Russia returns the ball to Sara Errani of Italy during their match at the round-robin stage of the WTA Championships tennis tournament in Istanbul, Turkey, 23 October 2012. EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU |

Representatives for all four Grand Slams flew into Istanbul on Monday the day before the WTA Championships to meet with the top eight WTA players as well as well as WTA CEO Stacey Allaster over the issues of 2013 prize money.

Nothing conclusive came out of the meeting, but prize money distribution was discussed.

“I have been speaking to the Grand Slams regarding prize money during the course of the year, and this was a good opportunity for each Slam to speak with representatives from our Players’ Council and top players, to share their business models and hear directly from our athletes,” said Allaster. “I appreciate each of the Grand Slams’ commitment to equal and increased prize money, and am looking forward to continued conversation regarding fair compensation.”

Before the meeting began, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova weighed in on the 2013 Australian Open’s decision to increase its prize money by $4 million to a record $30 million.

“If you compare the percentage to what we are getting at the other Slams, the Australian Open is doing a much better job of compensating us,” Sharapova said “I think it’s time for the other Grand Slams to step up. I think the Australian Open is under a lot of pressure because they are the first Grand Slam of the year. But I think the other Grand Slams need to step up based on what they make because their revenue is much bigger than the Australian Open makes.”

The ATP Players Council, which has threatened a boycott before the announcement was made, had talked to Australian Open Tournament director Craig Tiley about how it wanted the prize money divided. The tournament is taking that into consideration but has made no decision yet.

The WTA players in attendance during the Istanbul meetings had not made up their mind yet as to how the increase should be distributed, but they seemed to be leaning the same way as the men did, which is to give a bigger increase to the winners of the lower rounds, rather than to the finalists and semifinalists.

“Sure, why not? Everyone deserves an increase, the first, the second, the third rounds, said Williams

Sharapova doesn’t favor with giving more to first round losers, but is OK with upping the money for winners of lower rounds.

Serena, who is not a member of the WTA Players Council, said that the Australian increase was a good one and that the players have to be careful not to try and be too greedy.

“We know the tournaments are making so much money off of us,” she said. “We can’t start out asking for 30-40 percent [more]. Hopefully we can gradually make more progress every year.”

On Monday, ATP player Council member Sergiy Stakhovsky complained on Twitter that the WTA was riding the coat tails of the ATP on the prize money issue.

“At least some appreciation….I would still like to know when was that time when WTA took leadership” he wrote.

But Sharapova and Serena did not back up the statements of WTA Players Council member Bethanie Mattek-Sands who was upset with the ATP Players Council for not talking to them before they went public with their Grand Slam demands.

“Unfortunately we’re two different tours and that’s impossible unless the tours were combined,” Serena said.

Sharapova said that there is little the women can do about it, as how the men approach issues is out of their control.

But she added that if ATP Players Council president] Roger Federer wants to talk to the WTA players about issues: “I would absolutely do so. At the end of the day, we are all tennis players and we all have the same agenda and we all want to be compensated for what we do.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Atp, Istanbul tennis news, Roger Federer, Sharapova, Sports, Wta