WTA: Ons Jabeur writes heartfelt statement criticizing double standards after French Open night slot controversy

Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur is one of the most outspoken players on tour, not shying away from hard conversations. As the debate of whether the organizers of the French Open, led by tournament director Amelie Mauresmo, are being sexist due to not scheduling women’s matches in the night slot, the Tunisian star has written an open letter defending women’s tennis.

“A lot of amazing athletes have been told the same things over and over. That no one watches. That no one cares. That women’s sport doesn’t ‘move people.’ Judgement comes quickly often from those who’ve never even watched a full match. One empty stadium is held up as proof. The packed ones? Conveniently ignored,” she started the letter, which she post on her X account.

Jabeur pointed out the difference in how press and fans discuss women’s tennis and men’s tennis. “When a woman wins 6-0, 6-0, it’s called boring. Too easy. When a man does it? That’s ‘dominance.’ ‘Strength.’ ‘Unstoppable.’ When women play with power, they’re told they ‘play like men.’ As if strength, speed, or aggression don’t belong in a woman’s game. If they celebrate, they’re dramatic. If they don’t, they’re cold. Too emotional. Too distant. Too loud. Too quiet. Too much. Never just right. And yet, the game keeps rising,” she wrote.

She nods to some of her colleagues such as Coco Gauff, who also spoke on the matter, Iga Swiatek, Paula Badosa, Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula and Mirra Andreeva, before concluding with a plea of recognition to the women’s game.

“No one’s denying the greatness in men’s tennis, the fierce battles, the legacies, the magic under pressure. But honoring one side of the sport shouldn’t mean ignoring the other. The women’s game has been writing its own legacy loudly, brilliantly, and for far too long without full recognition,” she said.

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Jabeur already had criticized the French Open

On Tuesday, Jabeur had already criticized the scheduling, something she also did last year, after not a single women’s match has been given the primetime night session slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the biggest stadium.

“I hope whoever is making the decision (on scheduling), I don’t think they have daughters, because I don’t think they want to treat their daughters like this,” she said in a news conference Tuesday.

“It’s a bit ironic. They don’t show women’s sport, they don’t show women’s tennis, and then they (say), ‘Yeah, but mostly they watch men.’ Of course they watch men more because you show men more. Everything goes together,” she added

Amelie Mauresmo responds to the controversy

On the same day as Jabeur’s post, Roland Garros tournament director Amelie Mauresmo reaffirmed her position from previous years, emphasizing that the choice to schedule men’s matches in the evening sessions, rather than women’s, was purely due to the format difference: men’s matches are best-of-five sets, while women’s are best-of-three. “It’s the length of the matches, not the level they reach,” Mauresmo said, explaining that shorter match durations for women’s events risked leaving spectators feeling unsatisfied.

In response to Mauresmo’s remarks, a WTA spokesperson issued a statement: “The WTA encourages all combined tournaments to provide a balanced match schedule that showcases the best of both women’s and men’s tennis – and in premium scheduling slots.”

However, it seems like the French Federation and Roland Garros will die on this hill.