Women argue for better pay

Davenport did not win as much as her compatriot Pete Sampras in 1999

The issue of whether women should earn as much as men for playing tennis is bound to be an issue at Wimbledon.

This year, the men's champion at Wimbledon will receive £477,500 and the Ladies' Champion £430,000.

Of the major events, only the US Open pays both sexes the same.

Sexist

The women say this is sexist. They add that their game, with young stars like Martina Hingis, Anna Kournikova, Lindsay Davenport and the Williams sisters, is in a much healthier state than the power-dominated men's game.

The opponents of equal pay believe a lack of depth in the women's game means those stars have a virtual walkover to the final rounds of most events.

They also point to the fact that virtually any professional male player would beat the best the women could offer on court.

At the moment, we earn around half of what the men receive over a year, while our standards have improved dramatically in recent years. I don't honestly think that any reasonable person can justify that situation

Martina Hingis

Hingis said recently: "At the moment, we earn around half of what the men receive over a year, while our standards have improved dramatically in recent years.

"I don't honestly think that any reasonable person can justify that situation.

"I'm not saying that we're not making lots of money. Indeed, I'm the last person to complain about the size of the salaries which exist in modern sport.

Gender discrepancies

"But why the discrepancies on the grounds of gender? The popularity of women's tennis is on the rise, television ratings are climbing through the roof and I believe that bringing parity to the prize-money between men and women is the next logical step."

AELTCC chaiman Tim Phillips doesn't forsee a change

But the Wimbledon authorities have not budged. Chairman Tim Phillips said: "I think it's pretty unlikely in the foreseeable future.

"The ladies' champion routinely takes away more money from Wimbledon than the men's champion because the top men - regrettably in our view - only play the singles. The top ladies play doubles as well, so they always take away more.

'If you look around the world you would be hard pushed to find an event where women get paid the same as men, apart from the US Open."

Whatever the rights and wrongs, the All England Club has done something this year that will not grab the headlines but will nevertheless do a lot to help the development of the women's game.

Women's increase

This year prize money for women overall has been increased by 7.9%, compared with 4.8% for the men.

But this money will be focused on the qualifying tournament and those who lose in the early rounds.

Players at this level make nothing like the millions Hingis and Kournikova pick up and a run at the qualifying event of a Grand Slam can be the difference between staying on the tour and giving up.

Phillips added: "We have set a level of prize money which is in keeping with the stature of the event and which is attractive and fair to all the players, while also reflecting the nature of the marketplace.

"We are looking forward to a great Championships."