London - The US Open
was accused of sexism on Wednesday after French tennis player
Alizé Cornet received an official warning for taking off her top
on court to turn it the right way around.
When 28-year-old Cornet returned from a 10-minute heat break
in New York she realised her shirt was back-to-front and walked
to the back of the court to pull off and adjust her top, briefly
exposing her sports bra.
The outfit shift earned her a code violation from umpire
Christian Rask who branded her action "unsportsmanlike", saying
she had violated the World Tennis Association's rules.
But his decision lead to a volley of complaints about sexist
double standards from other players and tennis fans.
Judy Murray, mother of former world number one player Andy
Murray, said men changed their shirts on court with no issue.
"Changed at back of court. Got a code violation ... But the
men can change their shirts on court," she wrote on Twitter.
"You cannot be serious! Men change their shirts on court all
the time ... that's ridiculous!!!!" another fan tweeted.
The US Open has been blasted with temperatures of almost
38 degrees Celsius (100.4°F), with male competitors photographed
topless in courtside chairs including Serbian Novak Djokovic.
The row comes amid an ongoing debate about the treatment of
women tennis players.
Although women have been paid equal prize money at all four
grand slams since 2007, they still lag behind the men on their
own year-round tennis circuit.
In 2017, the men's ATP World Tour had prize money of $197.7
million compared with $139 million for the women's WTA Tour.
Last year Cornet, who became known for beating former world
number one Serena Williams three times, publicly criticised the
ATP which had to apologise for a draw ceremony in which female
models revealed groupings with letters hidden under clothing.
"Good job @ATPWorldTour Supposed to be a futurist event
right? #backtozero," she wrote on Twitter.