'THAT IS DAMAGING': RAGING DEBATE CONTINUES AS WOMEN OVERLOOKED FOR PRIMETIME

Iga Świątek has had her say on the night schedule controversy. (Getty/Shi Tang)

As expected, French Open organisers are placed under the microscope for another year, as they continue to neglect women's matches for primetime viewing.

The night session operates differently compared to the Australian Open, with only one match scheduled for 8:15pm local time in the early rounds. But that slot is dedicated solely to the men, inevitably creating discussion.

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There was uproar at last year's event when Iga Świątek's blockbuster clash with Naomi Osaka — a fixture containing a combined eight Slam titles before the Slam's conclusion — was scheduled for the day, despite it ending up as arguably the match of the tournament after Świątek survived from match point down.

The defending champion's response to the debate after her first-round victory on Monday was conspicuous.

"My position didn't change. I like playing day, so I'm happy I'm done and can have a longer rest," the four-time Roland-Garros winner said when asked by a reporter what she makes of the unbalanced schedule.

"On the other hand, people just try to look for, like, not even things between men and women...Honestly, my answers are not gonna change. I don't mind."

A sarcastic quote reshare by one person on X read: "Another example of how Iga Świątek is a TERRIFIC ambassador for women's sport. Just spectacular 😐."

Matt Roberts, a member of The Tennis Podcast, shared his damning assessment.

"People will say, well, the women don't want to play night sessions. It's not that the tournament are doing them some big favour by scheduling them in the day. They are making decisions on who plays at night based on what they think the best matches are," he said.

"So by scheduling the women not at night, the tournament is saying that they value the men over the women. Fact. That is what they are saying. And that should bother you; that should concern you.

"Take whether the women want to play there or not out of it, you've got a federation which is saying that they value men over women. That is damaging. It's harmful."

Tournament Director Amélie Mauresmo has stood by her strong stance supporting her decision to leave out women's matches for primetime since comments she made in 2022.

"In this era that we are in right now, I don't feel — and as a woman, former women's player, I don't feel bad or unfair saying that, right now — you have more … appeal," the former world No.1 confessed. "That's the general [reasons] for the men's matches.

"My goal was, when I was doing the schedule every day, to try and see, from the first-round, when the draw came out… what match in the woman's draw can I put there?"

Recently, French Tennis Federation President Gilles Moretton confirmed that the tournament will "not be placing women in the featured night session" and mentioned that the men's draw "offers better matches".

Roland-Garros continues to be pressed about their juggling act involving profits and ethics.

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