Women's Matches Excluded: Explanation Behind the Omission
In Paris, Gael Monfils has once again become the star of the night at the French Open. The local crowd favorite fought back from a two-set deficit against Bolivian Hugo Dellien in a thrilling five-set victory on Tuesday. Monfils' second-round match against Jack Draper, scheduled for Thursday at 8:15 PM (Eurosport), serves as the highlight of the fifth day of the tournament.
While organizers, led by Amélie Mauresmo, are eager to see Monfils play under the lights, Ons Jabeur—the Tunisian player—has voiced sharp criticism over the unequal allocation of night-time slots for men and women. "I don't think whoever makes this decision has daughters, because I don't think they would want to treat their daughters this way," Jabeur said, adding that numerous talented women players deserve to perform on this stage.
In recent years, only four out of 44 night matches at the French Open have been women's matches on the primary court, Court Philippe-Chatrier. This disparity has drawn significant criticism, with French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton further fueling the fire by implying the scheduling largely caters to audience preferences.
Unlike night sessions at the Australian Open or US Open, Paris only schedules one match during the evening, with concerns that a women's match—which is typically played over two sets—might conclude prematurely, leaving evening ticket holders dissatisfied. The organizers also avoid scheduling two matches due to the late start time at 8:15 PM.
Germany's top player, Eva Lys, empathized with Jabeur's sentiments while acknowledging the complexity of the issue. "I think we as women deserve a few more night session spots," Lys said, before adding, "I see it 100 percent like Ons." Lys, who has long advocated for gender equality, backed Jabeur's call for fairer scheduling.
This ongoing issue raises questions about the priority given to women's tennis in prime-time slots, with some calling for better and fairer scheduling to ensure equal representation.
Gael Monfils' success on the court could inspire a shift in the tennis schedule, as some question the unequal allocation of night sessions for men and women, with German player Eva Lys advocating for more night sessions for women. Despite the concerns about premature match endings, the organizers may consider adjusting the scheduling to provide a more balanced representation of both genders in the evening's sports service.
