A quick note on the madness of equal prize money being paid out at Wimbledon.
Each of the weekend’s singles winners earned £2 million ($2.6 million). Nice work if you can get it.
But in fact, much nicer work for Serena Williams.
She entered the women’s final having played 13 sets of tennis. Up until that point she had played a total of 116 games and spent 7 hours and 50 minutes on court during the 2016 championship.
After defeating Germany’s Angelique Kerber in two sets on Saturday, she had played 15 sets of tennis and a total of 137 games during the tournament. The final lasted 1 hour and 21 minutes.
So, Williams spent 9 hours and 11 minutes on court.
In the men’s draw, Andy Murray’s path to victory required him to play a total of 23 sets of tennis comprising 217 games.
Murray spent 15 hours 55 minutes on court.
Here’s the breakdown:
Williams’ win was worth £133,333 per set; she earned £14,598 per game; and she made £3,629 for every minute she was on court.
Murray’s win was worth £86,956 per set; he earned £9,389 per game; and he made £2,094 for every minute he was on court.
I can think of only one other industry where women’s pay outstrips men’s pay so comprehensively – the porn industry.
Don’t women players like Williams find it patronising that, having fought for equal prize money, they are required to do so much less work for it?
If they want to play best of five set matches, what – or who – is stopping them?