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Jessica Pegula criticizes the Madrid Open organizers, accusing them of sexism

Posted : 10 May 2023
The Madrid Open's administrators have come under fire from World No. 3 Jessica Pegula after the American and her fellow women's doubles finalists were denied the opportunity to speak at the trophy presentation.
 
On Sunday, Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia defeated Pegula and Coco Gauff in the women's doubles final, 6-1, 6-4, although none of the competitors had the opportunity to address the crowd.
 
The winners of the men's doubles match from the day before were permitted to do so.
 
"What happened in Madrid, it was really disappointing... I had a feeling something was going to happen," Pegula said ahead of this week's Italian Open. "Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No.
 
"I've never heard of that... in my life. I don't know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision - or how they had a conversation and decided, 'Wow, this is a great decision and there's going to be no-backlash against this'.
 
"I've never heard in my life we wouldn't be able to speak. It was really disappointing. In a $10,000 final you would speak.
 
"It spoke for itself. We were upset when it happened and told during the trophy ceremony we weren't able to speak. It kind of proved a point."
 
Madrid Open organizers as said of the decision: "The tournament will not comment on the matter."
 
Gauff clarified that the speech itself was not the problem.
 
"I have a lot of finals, so it's not about that," Gauff said.
 
"It's more about the principle behind it, so this can't happen again for future girls, take the opportunity away from them."
 
It was "hard to explain," according to Azarenka, why she was unable to speak during the trophy presentation to her son Leo. Despite not competing in Madrid, world No. 7 Ons Jabeur posted on social media that it was "sad and wrong" because players were not permitted to talk.
 
Each ATP and WTA event at the Madrid Open receives the same amount in prize money, with the singles victor taking home little over £1 million and the doubles champions splitting £330,000. As doubles runners-up, Pegula and Gauff split £176,000.

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