Madrid Open boss hits back at Ons Jabeur over ‘unfair’ gender inequality claim

Ons Jabeur and Feliciano Lopez

Madrid Open tournament director Feliciano Lopez has countered Ons Jabeur’s claim that male and female players are not treated equally at the event.

The former ATP star admitted mistakes had been made by organisers last year, but asserted it was unfair to suggest there is gender inequality at the tournament.

Following her fourth round victory over Jelena Ostapenko in Madrid, Jabeur highlighted the events in Madrid and Rome as she called for tennis bosses to do more to promote the women’s game.

“I feel like definitely tennis is one of the sports that I’m proud to play in as a woman,” said the Tunisian in her press conference.

“I feel like we have a long way, especially here in Madrid and in Rome, in Europe in general. I feel like they need to respect women more and they need to respect how we are playing.

“Some things we feel it, and yeah, in maybe like a lot of things in practices, the way they treat women here and men, they’re completely different. Maybe people from outside, they don’t see it.

“I’m definitely one of the people that I want to speak up. I really enjoy watching women’s tennis, enjoy watching women’s sports in general.

“I think we deserve better. It’s not like we are not making any effort and we are asking for more than what we deserve, for sure.”

Speaking to Sky Sports, Lopez defended the Madrid Open as he responded to the comments made by the women’s world No 9.

“Yeah, I think we did a few things last year that, I mean, shouldn’t happen. I have to say and we learn from our mistakes,” said the Spaniard.

“But I have to say that we were the first tournament to pay the same prize money to women and men and so I don’t think it’s fair that someone might think that we are not treating men and women equally. So we’re doing a great job, I think, in that matter.

“So I understand, you know, the frustration on certain things because there’s a lot of things that can happen and during the tournament with, you know, transportation, with practice sessions.

“But we try to be equal, we try to be fair all the time. So I think we have to move on and try to be fair to everyone. Last year, I have to accept that there is things that, for example, that issue with the doubles finals — we apologise and we move on and everyone’s happy.

“We have meetings with WTA players, ATP players, always willing to help, and I think this is the most important thing that we move on. And, there’s a lot of things that we can still do in the future.”

Jabeur was beaten 0-6, 7-5, 6-1 by Madison Keys in the quarter-finals of the WTA 1000 tournament on Wednesday.