Madrid Open owner doesn’t think women deserve equal pay, but he does think they’re beautiful

Ion Tiriac doesn’t think men and women tennis players should be paid equally, but that doesn’t mean he has anything against women.

The 76-year-old Romanian billionaire who owns the Madrid Open told the New York Times he loves women -- particularly women with long legs.

“I like, very much more, women than men,” he said. “All my life, I’ve done that. The longer the legs theirs are, the more beautiful I think they are. Even in tennis, they’re gracious and so on. But I don’t see the equal prize money being the status. Maybe they deserve more? Pay more the women if they deserve.

“But I think we have to go and calculate how much money are the men putting on the table, and how much the women, with TV rights. Because otherwise we have to compensate, and compensate, and compensate, and you cannot compensate forever. For that reason, it’s a beautiful sport, but I don’t think the women can complain that they don’t earn enough money.”

And then from the same interview: “Saying that they’re equal — they’re not equal. I mean, once again, I prefer a woman on the court, they are beautiful on the court. Even Federer, who is very elegant, I prefer an elegant woman, not Mr. Federer. But they are not bringing to the table the same thing.”

The Madrid Open does offer equal prize money to men and women. But Tiriac said men’s tennis brings in nearly six times more than women’s in TV revenue. And with the ATP demanding an increase in men’s earnings, Tiriac isn’t sure how much longer he can afford to pay both sides the same.

“Maybe you have to pay the top four, from the semifinal and final, as much as the men,” he said. “But maybe the rest are not so interesting, to pay them the same kind of money.

“I have in excess of $11 million in prize money for both of them -- almost $6 million for men and $6 million for women. And I cannot go like this forever. And everybody would understand this, at least. It’s very simple.”

WTA chief executive Steve Simon responded to Tiriac’s comments on Monday, saying “equal prize money is a settled matter.”

“We have a sanction, an agreement, which reflects equal prize money, and we fully expect that to be honored, and for Madrid to keep showing the leadership they always have,” Simon said.

“We still have work to do, and we’re going to work at it, but equal prize money goes way beyond just the broadcast revenue situation. This sanction has brought great value to the Mutua Madrid Open as well. It’s promoted as men and women, all towards that brand and product, and he sells it as one. And so on that basis, equal is certainly right.

“I think if he lost the women’s sanction and it wasn’t there, the event wouldn’t have the status it has today.”

Simon also expressed disappointment in Tiriac’s decision to mention the appearance of female tennis players in his comments.

“Anytime you get into beginning to say that you like something because of the look, rather than the talent, I struggle with that,” Simon said. “People are entitled to their opinions there, but it’s certainly not something that we condone. I’m always disappointed when I hear comments such as that, because our athletes stand for themselves and their athletic ability.”