Aryna Sabalenka slams sexist scheduling of French Open women's matches

She’s not the only player pointing out the issue

After many seats remained empty at the women’s singles quarterfinal match, Aryna Sabalenka has commented on the French Open’s poor scheduling of women’s games.

Despite a long-overdue appreciation for women’s sport taking hold around the world in the last few years, and Deloitte predicting that it will bring in $3.93 billion globally in 2025, men’s and women’s matches still often aren’t promoted equally. 

Women’s tennis number one is calling out the issue. 

Even though she’s a top player, Aryna Sabalenka’s title, popularity or guaranteed viewership didn’t spare her from having to play a match in a largely empty arena this week. 

Naturally, more fans choose to attend later matches at the French Open, but very few women’s singles matches have ever been scheduled for the nighttime slots – not one has been scheduled in this year’s opening rounds, and none were scheduled last year.

The quarterfinal match was played at 11 am on Tuesday, resulting in many of the lower-tier seats remaining empty.

Sabalenka addressed the issue following her win, saying, "It was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it".

"I definitely think that would make more sense to kind of like move our match for a little bit later."

She isn’t the first to point out the problem. Image: Getty

Female players have been asking for equal match scheduling for years

She isn’t the first to point out the problem.

WTA number two, Coco Gauff said, "I feel like we produce some high-quality tennis and we have some great stars on the women’s sides that fans would love to see".

"From my experience playing at U.S. Open, night match at 7 pm, with Novak [Djokovic] following me, and he’s the greatest player of all time, people were almost just as excited to see me play as him," she added. 

And same as other places I’ve played like Australia, night match, people were excited to see us, too. So I definitely think there’s opportunity to improve that in the future with this tournament." Image: Getty

"And same as other places I’ve played like Australia, night match, people were excited to see us, too. So I definitely think there’s opportunity to improve that in the future with this tournament."

Tunisian player Ons Jabeur has previously called out the scheduling choice, saying "It's still sad that we are still seeing this".

"I hope whoever is making the decision, I don’t think they have daughters, because I don’t think they want to treat their daughters like this."

"You know, it's a bit ironic. They don't show women's sport, they don't show women's tennis, and then they ask the question, 'Yeah, but mostly they watch men.' Of course they watch men more because you show men more”, she insisted.

“It feels like just hitting my head against the wall because I feel like we have been talking about this for two, three, four (years) - probably forever, to be honest, because it's never been equal.” Image: Getty

World number three Jessica Pegula has also shared a similar sentiment, describing how “it feels like just hitting my head against the wall because I feel like we have been talking about this for two, three, four (years) - probably forever, to be honest, because it's never been equal.”

When asked about the issue, Sabalenka pointed out, "There was a lot of … great battles, a lot of great matches which would be cool to see as night sessions".

"Just more people in the stands watching these incredible battles. And just to show ourselves to more people. I definitely agree that we deserve to be put on a bigger stage. Like better timing, more people watching."

Sabalenka addressed the issue following her win, saying, "It was a big match and probably would make more sense to put us a little bit later just so more people could watch it". Image: Supplied

“It has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night”

According to the Associated Press, only two women’s matches have been scheduled at night at Court Philippe-Chatrier while Amélie Mauresmo has been tournament director, though the former world number one has repeatedly shut down suggestions from journalists that Roland-Garros doesn’t value women’s matches as much as men’s. 

When questioned about the women’s early play times, Mauresmo said, “The funny thing is that it’s the same questions, year after year".

“It has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night”. 

“It’s never been this, and I will not accept that you carry this message”, she added. Image: Getty

“It’s never been this, and I will not accept that you carry this message”, she added.

French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton said the scheduling decision was intended "to put the better match ... for the spectators [at night]."

Gauff suggested organisers consider scheduling two matches for the nighttime slot instead of one to address the issue, though the tournament director shut this down, according to ESPN.

Originally published as Aryna Sabalenka slams sexist scheduling of French Open women's matches