'DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES': CRAIG TILEY COMPARES FRENCH OPEN SCHEDULING DRAMA TO AO

Craig Tiley addresses the media. (Getty/Kelly Defina)

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley is the latest name to comment on Roland-Garros' controversial decision to exclude women's matches for night sessions, pointing to an "added complication" for organisers.

The Parisian Slam has once again made negative headlines following Tournament Director Amélie Mauresmo and French Tennis Federation president Gilles Moretton doubling down on their decision to schedule only men for primetime viewing.

Players such as Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur and Aryna Sabalenka have spoken out about the importance of equality.

Not since Aryna Sabalenka's fourth-round win over Sloane Stephens in 2023 has a women's match been scheduled at night on Court Philippe-Chatrier.

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With over a decade of experience in handling scheduling and logistics for the first Grand Slam of the year, Tiley offered his perspective.

"There are many factors that go into making a decision around scheduling," he told the Australian Open's 'The Tennis' podcast.

"The French [Open] will have their factors and their considerations, and they have different circumstances from us.

"I haven't spoken to anyone at the French Tennis Federation, so I can't go into the basis of their decision."

For years, the Australian Open has scheduled two matches for primetime, commencing at 7pm local time, which has at times attracted heavy criticism for early morning finishes.

Tennis Australia's CEO went into great depth as to what goes behind the decision-making process at Melbourne Park each year.

"We generally schedule two matches and share them between the men and the women," Tiley shared.

"We start earlier, we start at seven. Sometimes the men go first, sometimes the women go first. Some years, you may have it more skewed towards the women or more skewed towards the men. But generally, we try to keep it the same as much as we possibly can.

"There's the added complication of three sets versus five sets, that's just the time, not a value, because you can get three-set matches that are more intense. But on average, the three sets are going to be shorter.

"Our decisions are based on what the players want, what the broadcasters want, between when you played your last match, are you playing singles, doubles, mixed?"

The 63-year-old later added, "I always say to the players, we'll make sure it's fair, not necessarily equal."

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