Comparing the same sport in its male and female forms is nothing new. This happens in virtually every discipline, and tennis is no exception. Recently, this topic gained attention partly due to Świątek's final opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, who openly admitted that she prefers watching her sport in its male form. Top male tennis player Carlos Alcaraz also faced criticism for struggling to name any female players when asked about women's tennis.
For Iga, Gender Doesn't Matter
This time, the question was directed at Iga Świątek. She was asked what she thought about women playing against men. The Polish star had no doubts about her answer.
I think if we had to play against men, we would lose quickly. But that's not the point. What matters is how the female players compete against each other, and I see many women capable of playing really intense matches
- she said.
Świątek also emphasized the importance of focusing on the emotions rather than comparisons.
We shouldn't compare the levels of men's and women's tennis. Instead, let's focus on the emotions that tennis evokes in us. I think people can learn a lot from women's tennis, which can be interesting and exciting
- she added.
Serena Would Approve
"Sportskeeda" noted the similarity of this statement to something Serena Williams once said. The American legend, in a 2013 interview with David Letterman, humorously addressed Andy Murray's proposal to play a match with her. Williams remarked that she believed men's and women's tennis were two different sports and that the famous Scot would easily beat her in about 10 minutes.
