MADRID: Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur has criticized European tournament organizers for displaying favoritism towards male players at combined events, despite her triumphant advancement to the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open. Jabeur’s scathing remarks came after she dominated ninth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko with a 6-0, 6-4 victory, securing her spot among the last eight alongside top seed Iga Swiatek, who breezed past home favorite Sara Sorribes Tormo with a 6-1, 6-0 win.
Jabeur, the reigning 2022 Madrid champion, emphasized the ongoing struggle for gender equality in tennis, highlighting disparities in treatment between male and female players. She pointed out instances from her own encounters, citing unequal access to practice courts and the disparity in television coverage between WTA and ATP matches.
Jabeur also underscored her disappointment in the lack of representation of women’s tennis on television, particularly in Spain, where she advocated for increased visibility to inspire young girls.
Meanwhile, Swiatek admitted the upcoming challenge in her quarter-final clash with Brazilian left-hander Beatriz Haddad Maia, likely a competitive match against a formidable opponent known for her intensity and prowess on clay.
In the men’s competition, American Ben Shelton’s unbeaten streak in the clay season ended as Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik secured a hard-fought victory, setting up a fourth-round encounter against either Daniil Medvedev or Sebastian Korda.
