Amelie Mauresmo, appointed French Open Tournament Director in 2021, has addressed criticism regarding the scheduling of women’s matches in the tournament’s night sessions.
Mauresmo refutes claims that the absence of women’s matches in the coveted night session implies a lack of worthiness among female players.
All six initial night sessions at Roland Garros featured men’s singles matches, a point of contention raised annually. Two-time Wimbledon finalist Ons Jabeur voiced concerns, suggesting this impacts the growth of women’s tennis.
Mauresmo, a former world number one, stated that no female players had directly expressed dissatisfaction to her.
When questioned about the perception of women feeling “not worthy,” Mauresmo firmly stated: “That’s not what we’re saying. The conditions remain unchanged; we have one evening match. The message has never been that women are unworthy. It’s never been this.”
The scheduling conflict with the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan further complicated matters. Despite the subsequent announcement that Novak Djokovic’s match would fill the Saturday night slot, Mauresmo maintained the Champions League would minimally affect the tournament.
She emphasized the tournament’s dedication to providing the best possible experience for the 15,000 attendees. Jabeur’s social media post advocating for equal recognition of the women’s game followed this announcement.
Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Since their introduction in 2021, the night sessions have predominantly featured men’s singles matches. Mauresmo cited the potential brevity of women’s matches (best of three sets versus men’s best of five) as a factor in scheduling decisions. She insists this is consistent with previous years.
Concerns about late finishes due to multiple matches in the night session, as seen in other Grand Slams, were also raised. Mauresmo pointed to the well-attended late match between Monfils and Draper as a positive example. She underscored the multifaceted considerations involved in scheduling decisions.
Sabalenka storms into French Open fourth round
‘An adrenaline experience’ – Djokovic on bike ride
Draper edges past Monfils in late-night French Open thriller
Mauresmo’s frustration with the persistent questioning was evident. After repeatedly addressing the issue, she ultimately ended discussion, suggesting a revisiting of the topic later. While acknowledging the possibility of future women’s night matches, she highlighted several strong female competitors.
She concluded by affirming the high level of current women’s tennis, emphasizing the increased parity and exciting rivalries.
Boulter loses to end British hopes in women’s singles
‘It can’t look like a circus’ – Munar on crowd
Sinner and Djokovic win on day of upsets and drama