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'Male players tired of losing money because of women'

Tennis official and former player Ion Tiriac says the majority of the men's tour don't think female players should be paid the same as them.

The Romanian former World No.8 is the owner of the Madrid Open, a tournament that awards the men's winner more prize money than the women's.

Tiriac has re-ignited the equal prize money debate by saying male players deserve more because numbers of views on websites, audience on TV and interactions on social media are higher for men's tennis.

"Let's not confuse business with human rights,' Tiriac said in an interview with Le Parisien.

"Tennis is business. I understand players who say they are tired to see men's prize money help the women's.

Tiriac and 2017 Madrid women's champion Simona Halep. Image: Getty

"Someone says to me: 'Sir Tiriac, when will you stop financing women with our money?' Very few said it publicly, although most of them think so.

"It's not right to pay men and women the same.

"When Williams sisters were having success at times when there was the Belgian star (Justine Henin), or Steffi Graf, they should have probably deserved to earn more. As for Slams, I can understand that they support equality because they pay a lot.

"But for combined events like Madrid, Miami and Indian Wells, I don't agree."

Tiriac also caused a stir recently when he criticised Roger Federer's decision to skip the clay-court season, including the Madrid Open.

"I expected to see Federer in Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome," Titiac told Tennis World.

"Through his career he always did his job but now it's different. He only plays sometimes and we can't count on him anymore.

"Federer is a great champion. He is good for tennis but it's not positive for the Tour to play so less.

"In tennis there aren't only Major events, but also nine Masters 1000s that lasts 12 weeks in total. 80% of the money comes just from these events."