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Cape Town - Rafael Nadal has fired back at Victoria Azarenka's comments over gender inequality in tennis, insisting the sport is the last that should come under criticism for it.
Azarenka commented on Twitter that men should come down to playing three sets to end the debate over gender pay inequality in tennis.
Nadal, though, could not disagree more, and has launched a passionate defence of the men's game and tennis in general.
"Why does she want us to play best of three? We're happy playing best of five," asked Nadal.
"It doesn't matter the prize money, or equal prize money or not, that's your debate it's not our debate.
"It's interesting that you are always debating on equal prize money in tennis when we are probably the only sport in the world where we are almost equal prize money in most of the events," he said.
"So I don't know why you don't debate about football, basketball, about all the other important sports that women are miles away from the men.
"You always debate here, in our sport, when we support more the women tour than any other sport in the world.
"So I'm a little bit tired thinking (that) we are against the girls. No, not at all," said Nadal.
"Another thing is who sells more, who sells less, that is another debate, but it's not about men or women it's about persons and that's all. We are the same, somebody deserve more and other ones deserve less.
"If you are in the same company as another man, and I am doing better in my job than the other man, I have to win more than the other," he said.
"It doesn't matter if it's a girl or man and I'm a little bit tired about this debate all the time."
Men should just play best of three in my opinion! Will be much better quality of tennis and hopefully no ruined finals or semifinals because of the exhaustion... like has happened quite a bit https://t.co/KLafGS3Bzn
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) April 24, 2019
Why wouldn’t there be those matches? So in your opinion there never been an amazing 3 set match for the history books? Really? Makes not that much sense to me. But that’s my opinion. I’m not trying to change yours https://t.co/RNswWXJUE7
— victoria azarenka (@vika7) April 25, 2019
