Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore said that women players "ride the coattails of the men" in comments before Serena Williams met Victoria Azarenka in the finals of the BNP Paribas Open on Sunday, according to ESPN. Later, he apologized, but not before Williams "had a chance to react." Based on multiple reports, Moore said,
"I think the WTA [Women's Tennis Association] -- you know, in my next life when I come back I want to be someone in the WTA, because they ride on the coattails of the men. They don't make any decisions and they are lucky. They are very, very lucky. If I was a lady player, I'd go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they have carried this sport. They really have." Williams was asked about Moore's comments in her post-match press conference. She said,
"Obviously I don't think any woman should be down on their knees thanking anybody like that ... I think there is a lot of women out there who are more -- are very exciting to watch. I think there are a lot of men out there who are exciting to watch. I think it definitely goes both ways. I think those remarks are very much mistaken and very, very, very inaccurate" (ESPN, 3/20).
