The 22-time champion of Grand Slam tournaments advocates for equal opportunities for women and supports his argument with an example involving Serena Williams.
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams (via Imago)
The Spanish tennis player expressed his views on equal pay rights between male and female athletes. In order to support his stance, he mentioned a specific person and also referred to his own family.
During a recent interview with Marca, the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles found himself in a frenzy as he responded to a question about equal pay. While he criticized the way some people use the term “feminism,” he aligned himself with the movement’s overall objective of achieving equal opportunities for women.
Fully supporting women’s rights, Nadal believes that there are unfair opportunities for women in the world of tennis. However, he also emphasized that if women generate higher revenue than men, they should be paid more and not given freebies or “free gifts.”
But that’s not all, he also used the example of Serena Williams to illustrate his point.
Furthermore, to reinforce his argument, Nadal referred to his family. In an awkward attempt to justify himself, the Spaniard stated, “I have a sister and a mother.” Interestingly, this statement sparked controversy and even prompted an editorial piece to comment on Nadal’s words.
Recently, an interview with Rafael Nadal from the 2019 Australian Open resurfaced on the internet, as fans compared it to his recent stance on equal pay.
For context, five years ago, Nadal used the fashion industry as an analogy to explain how women earn more than men when asked to choose between equal pay and the gender pay gap.
This time, the Spaniard appeared more confident in his response but stumbled later on. He took it a step further this time and explained the revenue theory, where the individual who generates more revenue receives higher payment.
Nevertheless, Nadal is currently focused on his recovery as he prepares to return to the court for the second time. With his sights set on Indian Wells, he will also participate in the tournament and aim to qualify for the French Open. As fans eagerly await the Spaniard’s return, they gain insight into his thought process through these interviews.
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According to the Source firstsportz.com