Equal pay? You Haas to be joking
Germany's world number nine Tommy Haas believes Wimbledon chiefs are wrong to bring women's prize-money in line with men's.
After years of pressure, the All England Club yesterday announced that players at this summer's tournament would be paid the same, regardless of sex, for the first time.
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The move has been welcomed in most quarters, but the German, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals last month, does not agree with the decision.
"I don't think it's really fair," he said after a 7-6, 7-6 win over Amer Delic in the second round of the Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.
"I think the depth of men's tennis is much tougher than the women's, plus we play best of five sets."
Haas insists that the physical demands placed on players in grasscourt tournaments makes Wimbledon particularly unsuited to equal pay.
"You might think it's not as brutal (as other surfaces) but you have to be in unbelievable shape on grass, even if the ball stays low and the points are shorter," he added.
"Not to say that the women don't deserve it. The top players train very hard and are very good tennis players, but in general I don't agree with it."
