Ons Jabeur criticizes double standards in women's tennis after French Open night slot controversy

New York Times

30-05-2025

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur has criticized double standards in the coverage and showcasing of women's tennis, writing on social media that 'the women's game has been writing its own legacy loudly, brilliantly, and for far too long without full recognition.'
In a post on X Fri. May 30, Jabeur outlined the stark differences in the perception of success and dominance in the men's and women's games, discussing the chasm between how the two are talked about.
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'A lot of amazing athletes have been told the same things over and over,' she wrote. 'That no one watches. That no one cares. That women's sport doesn't 'move people.'
'Judgment comes quickly often from those who've never even watched a full match. One empty stadium is held up as proof. The packed ones? Conveniently ignored.'
You don't have to agree , just read with an open heart❤️ pic.twitter.com/pmJnWhgy6L
— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) May 30, 2025
A 6-0, 6-0 win for a woman is called 'boring. Too easy,' she wrote. 'When a man does it? That's 'dominance.' 'Strength.' 'Unstoppable.''
Jabeur also echoed a line from four-time French Open champion Iga Świątek earlier this year, when she wrote of women's players: 'If they celebrate, they're dramatic. Too emotional. If they don't, they're cold. Too distant.'
Świątek wrote in a post on social media in March that: 'When I'm highly focused and don't show many emotions on court, I'm called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman. Now that I'm more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I'm suddenly labeled immature or hysterical.'
Jabeur, a former world No. 2 now down at No. 36, has last year and this year spoken about the court scheduling at the French Open, where not a single women's match has been given the primetime night session slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the biggest stadium.
'I hope whoever is making the decision (on scheduling), I don't think they have daughters, because I don't think they want to treat their daughters like this,' she said in a news conference Tuesday.
'It's a bit ironic. They don't show women's sport, they don't show women's tennis, and then they (say), 'Yeah, but mostly they watch men.' Of course they watch men more because you show men more. Everything goes together.'
In her social media post, Jabeur went on to outline the qualities of some of the stars of the women's game, most of whom remain at Roland Garros and none of whom will get the platform of the night session slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier.
On the same day as Jabeur's post, the Roland Garros tournament director Amélie Mauresmo reiterated her stance from previous years that the decision to put men's matches in the night session rather than women's was solely based on the fact that the former are best of five sets as opposed to best of three. 'It's the length of the matches, not the level they reach,' Mauresmo said, arguing that their shorter durations meant that putting a woman's match on risked leaving spectators shortchanged.
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This was the context for Jabeur's message, which she posted on X the same afternoon.
Following Mauresmo's comments, a WTA spokesperson said in a statement: 'The WTA encourages all combined tournaments to provide a balanced match schedule that showcases the best of both women's and men's tennis – and in premium scheduling slots.
'The current generation and depth of talent in women's tennis is extraordinary, and fans deserve and also expect the opportunity to witness the elite performance, athleticism and excitement of these top-tier matchups on the sport's biggest stages.'
Jabeur was eliminated in the French Open first round Tuesday by Magdalena Fręch. She will now focus on the grass-court season and preparing for Wimbledon, where she is a two-time finalist.