Maria Sharapova
If time is money, Maria Sharapova certainly believes women deserve equal pay in tennis.
”Of course it’s fair. We were waiting for the men to finish five sets,” she said, joking, after easing into the fourth round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Elena Vesnina of Russia. ”We should get paid more for waiting around all day long.”
Now that women have pay equity with men at all four Grand Slams, Sharapova thinks the prize money should be increased.
”I think prize money should grow in both women’s and men’s tennis, because I think the popularity of our sport is growing in so many different areas of the world,” she said. ”To see it expand with every trip you take into different regions, it’s incredible.”
Much to her relief, Sharapova’s father and coach, Yuri, has stopped wearing the hooded camouflage sweater and sunglasses that became a talking point after her first two matches.
She said it was her father’s love of a good deal rather than any endorsement deal that prompted him to adopt the outfit.
”Well, I don’t know if they’re paying him money,” she said. ”He’s happy to get some free sweaters.”
The 20-year-old Sharapova can afford to buy her dad a few. She has earned more than $10 million in career prize money, and makes millions more in endorsements.
Source: Sharapova earning every penny
