Australian Open: Sexist coverage cringeworthy

Channel Nine's coverage of the women's final was incredibly sexist, awkward and patronising.

Naomi Osaka of Japan kisses the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup following victory in her Women's Singles Final match against Petra Kvitova

Channel Nine's coverage of the women's final was incredibly sexist, awkward and patronising.

At the beginning of each match, the camera angles of the women started off low, usually running up the very long legs of Petra Kvitova.

The viewer would be taken up via the camera's lens to the top of Kvitova's thighs; focusing on a close-up of her torso; her stomach bare as she presumably was reaching for a shot. Who would know?

The viewers couldn't see her face or even her racket head.

Naomi Osaka's crotch and thighs also provided far too many seconds of close-up camera work during the match.

As the women served, the camera was often positioned from behind them, so the viewer couldn't see their face, just their backsides.

Petra Kvitova is a living legend.

Conversely, when the men are on the court, the viewer is treated to full length action shots; not just a snapshot of a body part.

Upon Osaka's victory, all the commentators could talk about was the Japanese player's lack of smiling and emotional battles on court. I wonder how often Novak Djokovic gets told to smile more?

Post-match Osaka was asked by Channel Nine commentator Tony Jones how she managed to carry her trophy "all that way" to the studio from the tennis court.

Mate, she could probably benchpress you! Subsequent questions were about her lack of smiling and how she would spend her wins - on a shopping spree in Melbourne, perhaps?

The questions were deeply ingrained in misogynistic attitudes.

It was cringeworthy to watch.

Originally published as Australian Open: Sexist coverage cringeworthy