Serena Williams 'disappointed' by Novak Djokovic's comments
Tuesday 22 March 2016 23:51, UK
Several top women's tennis players have hit out at Novak Djokovic after the World No 1 suggested male players may deserve to be paid more.
The row began when Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore, who has subsequently resigned, made comments that were disparaging of the women's game at the weekend.
And Djokovic, who won the Indian Wells tournament, then said of the pay issue: "I think that our men's tennis world should fight for more because the stats are showing that we have much more spectators at the men's tennis matches."
British No 1 Andy Murray says he disagrees with Djokovic and, as the Miami Open got underway, several of the biggest names in the women's game have hit back at the Serbian.
Serena Williams, a 21-time Grand Slam champion, said: "It has been, I would say disappointing.
"I wouldn't say my son deserved more money than my daughter because he's a man. It would be shocking.
"Novak is entitled to his opinion but if he has a daughter - I think he has a son right now - he should talk to her and tell her how his son deserves more money because he is a boy.
"I would never use sex to compare. We have so many great players, men and women, who have brought so much vision to the sport. Every athlete works extremely hard.
"If I had a son and a daughter I would never tell them one deserves more because of their sex."
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova said of Djokovic's comments: "I don't think it was very nice, it was very disappointing.
"We are training 100 per cent the same as the men. We're more troubled with hormones and other things? He should not have said what he said."
And World No 2 Agnieszka Radwanska said: "We work so hard for this, spend so much time practicing.
"I don't think we do any less than the men, we don't deserve less prize money."
Moore's resignation was welcomed by the top female players, with Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber saying: "I think it's for the best that he's no longer the tournament director.
"We are actually working so hard and the WTA is helping us."
