Sharapova slams 'second-hand' Brisbane event as men take over

Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said Brisbane International felt like "a second-hand event" with women relegated to outside courts to make way for men playing inaugural ATP Cup. WTA tournament is being run alongside Brisbane leg of men's new team tournament, which has taken over centre court at Queensland Tennis Centre. Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens blasted organisers on Tuesday, accusing m of favouring male players and t respecting women, with Sharapova also weighing in.

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Sharapova slams 'second-hand' Brisbane event

"You definitely recognise it and tice it," she said, with even Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who is his hugely popular in Brisbane, relegated to an outside court.

"It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event." ATP Cup's last round-robin matches in Brisbane are on Wednesday, meaning women can only play on centre court from Thursday.

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Under ATP Cup's invative tournament rules, on-court coaching is allowed and team zones are in corners of court, rar than on sidelines by umpire. Sharapova, who crashed in first round to American Jennifer Bry on Tuesday evening, suggested this could be a reason why women were t allowed to share centre court. "It's definitely a bit of a strange strategic move," she said of favouring men.

"I'm t sure (but) I heard that because way that court is constructed, that it's t regulation for us to be playing on centre court with benches on side.

"I don't kw what else it might be that's preventing (us playing re), because I think re's a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre court spot in this draw.

"Everyone should have a conversation about it, that's just my outside view," she ded.

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Barty hes a high-quality field in Brisbane, which includes four of women's top five. Stephens, who is on WTA players' council, said it was clear women h been sidelined. "We just weren't in conversation to even be considered," she said. "It was what ATP wanted -- y got what y wanted, girls to side, that's kind of how it always is." 

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