"Disparity is insane and needs to be addressed": Maria Sharapova calls out sharp difference in ATP Shanghai Masters & WTA Zhengzhou Open prize money

Maria Sharapova recently discussed the disparities in prize money between male and female tennis athletes.

As part of the Bloomberg Screentime conference with Jason Kelly, Sharapova delved into her illustrious journey from the tennis court to the boardroom, sharing her insightful take on the prevailing gender pay gap within the sport.

The issue of unequal prize money has been a longstanding contention in the world of tennis. While strides have been made, with Grand Slams offering equal prize money for both genders, the disparity becomes glaringly evident in other tournaments.

Sharapova highlighted the stark contrast in earnings at tournaments outside the Grand Slams.

"Just this week, there’s a men’s tournament actually still happening in Shanghai with the Winner’s prize check of $1.2 million. In the same week, there’s a women’s tournament in China with the Winner’s check at $120,000," Sharapova revealed during her conversation with Kelly.

These numbers are not just statistics but a reflection of an ingrained disparity that continues to plague professional tennis. While the Grand Slams have been celebrated for offering equal prize money, the rest of the tour, which spans eight to nine months, is marked by a jarring inequality.

"I don't know if anyone's familiar with those numbers but you go to a Grand Slam and we are celebrating equal prize money. Great. Those are the biggest events with the biggest attention, media, and the buzz. But then the rest of the tour which is the eight or nine other months is there. The disparity is is insane and that needs to be addressed," she added.

This engaging discussion was posted on Bloomberg's official YouTube channel on October 13.

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Maria Sharapova further discussed the necessity for an aligned effort from tennis governing bodies, like the ATP, WTA and ITA, towards mitigating this financial schism.

"There are so many entities, you have the WTA, ATP, and ITA of the tours being on the same page on the same schedule. Ownership of tournaments is different. So how do you align the calendar when you have so many events throughout the year? How do you make it accessible interesting engaging? It will take time. It's not going to happen tomorrow. But I sure hope it does," Sharapova said.

The five-time Grand Slam champion shared her optimism towards young and emerging talents like Coco Gauff, hinting at a promising future where equitable prize money could become a norm rather than an exception.

"I really think Coco Gauff was the best thing that could have happened to women's tennis. And I like the way in which way she won. She was someone who had the ability the talent the voice already had her platform," she added.

Maria Sharapova earned around $39 million in prize money. Some of the brands she worked with include Nike, Porsche, Evian and Avon. According to Forbes, her net worth was roughly $200 million in 2020.