Serena slams Moore after outrage over women riding on 'coattails of men' comment

BNP Paribas Open chief executive and tournament director Raymond Moore provoked outrage on Sunday with controversial comments he made before the women's and men's finals at Indian Wells, and later issued an official apology.

The 69-year-old South African had earlier told reporters that top-level women's players rode "on the coattails of the men", did not make any decisions and were "very, very lucky" to have equal prize money, sparking a firestorm on social media.

"If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport," Moore, a 69-year-old former player from South Africa, told reporters as his annual state of the tournament press conference on Sunday morning.

Moore also singled out Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and Spaniard Garbine Muguruza as being among the "very attractive prospects" on the WTA circuit tour, before explaining that they were "physically attractive and competitively attractive".

World number one Novak Djokovic said Moore's comments were "not politically correct" and that women players had "fought for what they deserve, and they got it".

However, he also suggested the men's tour should receive more money as it draws more fans.

"On the other hand, I think that our men's tennis world ... should fight for more because the stats are showing that we have much more spectators on the men's tennis matches.

"I think that's one of the reasons why maybe we should get awarded more."

Scathing

World number one Serena Williams was scathing in her response.

"Obviously, I don't think any woman should be down on their knees thanking anybody like that," Williams said.

"If I could tell you every day how many people say they don't watch tennis unless they're watching myself or my sister, I couldn't even bring up that number," Williams said.

Williams said she quickly became aware of Moore's remarks via social media, even though she was busy Sunday morning preparing to meet Victoria Azarenka in the women's final, which the Belarusian won in straight sets.

A swift backlash to Moore's comments, which also included remarks on the physical attractiveness of some of the WTA's rising stars, had him issuing an apology even before the men's Masters final between Novak Djokovic and Milos Raonic was completed.

"At my morning breakfast with the media, I made comments about the WTA that were in extremely poor taste and erroneous," Moore said in a statement.

"I am truly sorry for those remarks, and apologise to all the players and WTA as a whole.

"We had a women's final today that reflects the strength of the players, especially Serena and Victoria, and the entire WTA. Again, I am truly sorry for my remarks."

But Williams said there was no mistaking their meaning.

"You know, there's only one way to interpret that," she said. "Get on your knees, which is offensive enough, and thank a man ... we, as women, have come a long way. We shouldn't have to drop to our knees at any point."

Attractive

Moore went on to say that Muguruza and Bouchard were among a "handful of very attractive prospects" who could take up the mantle in the women's game.

When asked what he meant by attractive, he replied: "They are physically attractive and competitively attractive. They can assume the mantle of leadership once Serena decides to stop."

Billie Jean King, who co-founded the WTA Tour and has long been a pioneer in the women's game, tweeted: "Disappointed in #RaymondMoore comments. He is wrong on so many levels. Every player, especially the top players, contribute to our success."

Fellow American Chris Evert, an 18-time grand slam champion, tweeted: "Now is the Golden Era 4 men, no doubt, but women have worked, fought harder, and have been bigger draws many times."

Disservice

Williams acknowledged that she was surprised to find gender-related controversy continuing to crop up in a sport that has pioneered equal compensation for women competitors - sometimes over the objections of their male counterparts.

"Last year the women's final at the US Open sold out well before the men. I'm sorry, did Roger play in that final or Rafa or any man play in that final that was sold out before the men's final? I think not."

Williams invoked US great Billie Jean King, a tireless promoter of equal opportunity for women in sport and beyond.

"I feel like that is such a disservice to her and every female, not only a female athlete but every woman on this planet, that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman."

Azarenka said men rarely find themselves the subject of insulting remarks - whether they were intended as such or not.

"I think it's something that we have to work through as women," she said. "Men don't get those comments.

"I think it's still a problem in the world," Azarenka added. "It's not just in sports. It's in business. We try to talk about the equality. Sometimes it just gets unrecognised."

WTA Tour chief executive Steve Simon released a statement saying, "As the tournament director of one of the most preeminent events in professional tennis the comments made today by Raymond Moore were extremely disappointing and alarming.

"The WTA stands on its own and was founded on the principles of equality and empowerment. I am proud of all those strong athletes on the WTA who put in hard work and sacrifice every single day.

"Tennis as a whole is enriched by the contributions and accomplishments of every single player both female and male."

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