Ons Jabeur, Coco Gauff criticize French Open for not scheduling women's matches in prime-time slots
French Open tournament director Amélie Mauresmo disputed the notion the event doesn't view women's matches as worthy of a prime-time showcase during a news conference Friday.
The French Open has not scheduled any women's matches for the night sessions during the opening rounds of the 2025 tournament. None was scheduled in 2024, either. Only two women's matches have been scheduled for the night session at Court Philippe-Chatrier since Mauresmo became tournament director in 2022, according to the Associated Press.
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'The funny thing is that it's the same questions, year after year," Mauresmo said when asked about women's matches being scheduled for the noon slot at Roland-Garros, which typically has the lowest attendance.
'It has never been that the girls are not worthy to play at night,' she added. 'It's never been this, and I will not accept that you carry this message.'
The issue of women's matches not getting prime-time slots received renewed attention from comments by Ons Jabeur and Coco Gauff in recent days.
"It's still sad that we are still seeing this,' Jabeur said at a press conference, via The Athletic.
"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."
Jabeur continued her thoughts on social media, pointing out a double standard in how women's and men's sports are discussed.
"A lot of amazing athletes have been told the same things over and over," Jabeur wrote. "That no one watches. That no one cares. That women's sport doesn't 'move people.'
"Honoring one side of the sport shouldn't mean ignoring the other," she added. "The women's game has been writing its own legacy loudly, brilliantly, and for far too long without recognition."
Coco Gauff has spoken out against the French Open scheduling women's matches for lesser seen and attended times during the day, rather than prime-time slots at night. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Gauff supported Jabeur's remarks, saying the French Open needed to "improve" its scheduling.
"When you feel, like, what's best for the fans ... 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," Gauff said following her second-round victory over Tereza Valentova, via Forbes.
"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."
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During her Friday presser, Mauresmo said no women's player has raised the scheduling issue with her directly. But the comments from Jabeur and Gauff have gotten the attention of media, compelling reporters to bring up the issue with Mauresmo and forcing the tournament director to defend not giving women's matches the largest possible audience.
The last women's singles match scheduled in prime time on Philippe-Chatrier occurred in 2023 with then No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka facing Sloane Stephens in a fourth-round contest.
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