In a powerful endorsement for equality in tennis, US Open champion Emma Raducanu has publicly praised the tournament's landmark decision to award equal prize money to mixed doubles pairs and is now calling on the other three Grand Slams to follow its lead.
The British sensation, who won the US Open as a qualifier in 2021, described the move as a "massive step" for the sport. She argued that it finally provides the recognition and financial reward that mixed doubles specialists deserve, after often being treated as a secondary attraction.
A New Standard for Equality
The US Open's new policy ensures that the total prize money for the mixed doubles competition is split equally between the male and female athletes of each team. This eliminates a previous disparity where the pay was often unevenly distributed, reflecting the wider gender pay gap that has historically existed across sports.
Raducanu believes this sets a new, crucial standard. "For the US Open to take that step, it's massive," she stated. "It's about time that we level the playing field and give mixed doubles the prestige it's due."
A Challenge to Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, and the Australian Open
Now, the 22-year-old is turning her attention to the other majors, urging the All England Club (Wimbledon), French Tennis Federation (Roland-Garros), and Tennis Australia (Australian Open) to implement an identical policy.
Her advocacy highlights a growing push for uniformity across the sport's most prestigious tournaments. Raducanu's stance sends a clear message that the era of unequal compensation, even in combined disciplines, is no longer acceptable to the new generation of players.
This move is seen as part of a broader, ongoing fight for pay parity in tennis, which has already seen significant victories in singles prize money. Raducanu's use of her platform to champion the cause of doubles specialists adds considerable weight to the campaign and puts pressure on the remaining Grand Slam organisers to act.
