Female athletes' games not included in tournaments' schedule
At the French Open, Gael Monfils reigned supreme in the night session on Tuesday, edging past Bolivian Hugo Dellien in a five-set affair that captivated the home crowd. Monfils is set to face British player Jack Draper in the evening on Thursday (8:15 PM, Eurosport), marking yet another high-profile men's match during the tournament's fifth day.
Since the inception of the night session at Stade Roland Garros, there have been 45 evening matches; however, only four have featured women players. The disparity has sparked controversy, with Tunisian Ons Jabeur sharply criticizing the decision-makers. "I don't think they have daughters, because I don't think they would want to treat their daughters this way," she asserted, lamenting the absence of top female talent in prime-time slots.
Notably, Naomi Osaka's match against Paola Badosa would have been an ideal candidate for evening television, according to Jabeur. Instead, the French Tennis Federation's scheduling prioritizes audience preference, a stance that has drawn significant ire. Jannik Sinner and Arthur Rinderknech played on Court Philippe-Chatrier during the Monday evening session, further fueling the debate.
Paris offers only one evening match slot, unlike the Australian Open and US Open, which schedule two – one for men and one for women. Organizers argue that a potentially swift conclusion of a women's match may disappoint spectators, given they've paid for an extended, captivating experience. Furthermore, scheduling two matches after 8:15 PM would be unfeasible due to the late hour.
Germany's top player, Eva Lys, voiced understanding and criticism regarding the uneven distribution of night session spots for women. "I think we as women deserve a few more night session spots. But at the same time, I know it's very complex," she acknowledged, echoing Jabeur's sentiments.
The underlying issue stems from the French Open's focus on men's matches for prime-time slots, a choice justified by the longer match format of men's singles, best-of-five sets. Critics, however, argue that this practice undermines the integrity and value of women's tennis and demands more equitable scheduling in the prestigious night session slots.
In contrast to the French Open's frequent evening matches for men, such as Gael Monfils' upcoming clash with Jack Draper, a significantly lower number of women's matches are scheduled in the prime-time slots, sparking debates about disparity and bias. Notably, this may have led to missed opportunities for featuring top players like Naomi Osaka in the evening matches, as suggested by Ons Jabeur.
