"Don't tell me women's sports isn't worth sponsoring" – Rennae Stubbs reacts to Australian Open women's final viewership comparison to Novak Djokovic

The 2023 Australian Open concluded with a summit clash between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas on the men’s side on Sunday, while Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina battled it out for the title in the women's side on Saturday.

While one would have expected the Sunday final between more well-known competitors Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas to attract more viewers, according to one website, it was Saturday’s thrilling encounter between hard-hitters Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina that stole the limelight.

Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2023 Australian Open

Former Australian tennis player and six-time doubles Grand Slam champion Rennae Stubbs took note of the report, which suggested that the women’s singles final drew in a viewership of 1.43 million. Sunday’s men’s singles final recorded a viewership of 1.3 million on Australian channel Nine, according to the same report.

Stubbs shared the news on social media while challenging the popular notion that women’s sports aren’t worth sponsoring.

“Don’t tell me Women’s sports isn’t worth sponsoring or showing on TV!” Rennae Stubbs remarked.

2019 US Open champion Bianca Andreescu was equally thrilled with the positive news and expressed her happiness.

“Letsss goooo we love to see it,” she wrote on her social media.

12-time singles Grand Slam winner Billie Jean King also lauded the women’s final for generating higher viewership numbers for the second year in a row.

“For the second year in a row, the women’s final was the most viewed match of the Australian Open,” Billie Jean King wrote.

Billlie Jean King on Instagram

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"Won’t be telling you that" - Tennis correspondant acknowledges women's high-quality final while correcting Rennae Stubbs about Novak Djokovic viewership

Billie Jean King awards 2023 Australian Open trophies to Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina

Although Rennae Stubbs, Bianca Andreescu, and Billie Jean King meant well and wished to promote women in the sport with their appreciation, tennis correspondent Stuart Fraser corrected Stubbs' viewership misunderstanding. He provided essential data for the men's final between Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas, while acknowledging the high-quality women's final.

"Certainly won’t be telling you that… but not sure the numbers are right here. Suspect whoever created the graphic is comparing the women’s final peak number with the men’s final metro average," he remarked.

It's worth noting, however, that the Australian Open suffered a slump in viewership in 2023. Nonetheless, the tournament recorded the largest footfall and smashed all records, becoming the most-attended Grand Slam tournament in the history of the sport.

Around 900,000 spectators are said to have entered Melbourne Park during the tournament fortnight.