Of course men have been paid more simply because they are men. That is the reality of the world we live in. But behind all of that is another key issue - not entirely without merit - that the reason men get more money, especially in the slams, is that they have the biggest stars and bring in the most revenue. This has been often true in the sport's heyday since the open era, especially in the 1980s with Borg, McEnroe, Connors, et al. The male players argued - again not without some merit - that the fans came mostly to see them and therefore they deserved the lion's share of the purse. Today, the women's game arguably has the biggest stars and thus has the most appeal. This may explain why - more than enlightenment or a sense of justice - the purses are now more equal. Justice is nice and long overdue - but economics pay the bill.
Of course men have been paid more simply because they are men. That is the reality of the world we live in. But behind all of that is another key issue - not entirely without merit - that the reason men get more money, especially in the slams, is that they have the biggest stars and bring in the most revenue. This has been often true in the sport's heyday since the open era, especially in the 1980s with Borg, McEnroe, Connors, et al. The male players argued - again not without some merit - that the fans came mostly to see them and therefore they deserved the lion's share of the purse. Today, the women's game arguably has the biggest stars and thus has the most appeal. This may explain why - more than enlightenment or a sense of justice - the purses are now more equal. Justice is nice and long overdue - but economics pay the bill.