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| Metro.co.uk |
Andy Murray insists he never planned to be a ‘spokesman for women’s equality’ but would struggle to ‘look any of the top female tennis players in the eye’ if he did not speak out on the issues.
The British No. 1 has long been championed for challenging sexist attitudes towards sport and famously corrected a journalist at Wimbledon this year for overlooking the achievements of American women during a press conference.
His actions have since earned praise from top female athletes like Serena Williams, who said: ‘I don’t think there should be a woman player, and there shouldn’t be a female athlete who isn’t completely supportive of Andy Murray.’
The three-time Grand Slam champion bucked the trend by hiring Amelie Mauresmo to be his coach in 2014 – a move widely commended by the sporting world.
Murray admitted his time with Mauresmo opened his eyes further to the issues faced by women in sport and he feels compelled to speak out.
‘I’ve never set out to be a spokesperson for women’s equality,’ he wrote in an article for the BBC.
‘My experience of working with Amelie Mauresmo gave me a small insight into attitudes to women in sport and, because it was unusual for a male tennis player to work with a female coach, I am often asked about that.
‘Working with Amelie was, for me, because she was the right person for the job, and not a question of her sex at all. However, it became clear to me that she wasn’t always treated the same as men in similar jobs, and so I felt I had to speak out about that.
‘Since then, I have been asked about women’s equality and I would find it hard to look any of the top female tennis players in the eye if I did not speak my mind.
‘People often underestimate the amount of work that it takes to become a top tennis player. And that work ethic is the same whether you are a man or a woman.
‘There are hours spent in the gym, on court, in physio, travelling, analysing matches and opponents, talking with your team, managing your body, and of course, making plenty of sacrifices.
‘Anyone who has spent any time with any of the top women will know that they make those same sacrifices and are as determined and committed to winning as any of the top men on the tour.’
Murray also bemoaned the lack of exposure top female athletes enjoy in comparison to their male counterparts, although he believes tennis can act as a shining light to other sports going forward and is proud of the fact the Grand Slams pay women the same as men.
‘Female sportswomen rarely get as much air-time as men, and there are still not enough women in the top jobs in sport, but things are improving,’ he added.
‘Tennis has come a long way in the past 35 years since the US Open first gave equal pay to men and women.
‘And it’s great that all the Slams pay their male and female champions the same. No other sport is doing as much as tennis, and it’s great to be part of a sport that is leading the way. Hopefully tennis can put pressure on other sports to do the same.
‘In general, I think the future is positive. We’ve got more female role models than ever before, more female commentators than ever before and more people championing the rights for women in sport than ever before.
‘Things are moving in a positive direction and I am excited about a future in which the playing field might be level for all.’
Metro.co.uk
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