While British tennis player Andy Murray may have exited Wimbledon earlier than we would have liked, he has gained himself a newfound fan base among feminists.
Murray has been widely praised for his response when asked about US tennis player Sam Querrey being the first American to reach a Grand Slam semi-final in the past eight years.
When in fact, American women have featured heavily in Grand Slam semi-finals in recent years, most notably in the form of sisters Venus and Serena Williams.
Looking less than amused Murray interrupted the reporter and quipped "male player" much to the delight of social media.
"Just one of the many reasons why I love #AndyMurray-a #feminist; a gent; and... real. #AndyMurray-#champ #Wimbledon"
Just one of the many reasons why I love #AndyMurray-a #feminist; a gent;
— Bonnie Greer (@Bonn1eGreer) July 12, 2017
and... real.#AndyMurray-#champ#Wimbledon https://t.co/Kgk1k3sv7P
"Andy he may have lost but he will forever be an ally for women in tennis getting treated equally. Gotta love him. #AndyMurray"
Andy 🙌🏼 he may have lost but he will forever be an ally for women in tennis getting treated equally. Gotta love him. #AndyMurray
— ℳᏋᎶᎪᏁ (@meganNwalsh) July 13, 2017.
Centre Court Sexism
This is not the first time that sexism has featured at Wimbledon nor is it the first time Murray has sought to quash it.
Earlier this week, Murray called out organisers for their disproportionate number of male to female matches on centre court, which currently hosts three matches per day - two male matches and one female.
"I think ideally you would have two men’s and two women’s on Centre," he said speaking to The Guardian.
Prize Gap
Minor tournaments have also been marred by allegations of sexism after it emerged that male winners received prize sums far larger than their female counterparts
According to The New York Times, while Roger Federer received $731,000 for winning the 2015 Western and Southern Open, female victor Serena Williams was awarded only $495,000.
Tennis is not the only sport to be criticised for its treatment of high-performance female athletes. Earlier this year, the Republic of Ireland women's football team threaten to boycott over inappropriate changing facilities and equipment.
Meanwhile, in 2015 camogie player Catherine McGourty was awarded a medal after completing the same Poc Fada contest in which the male winner received a skiing holiday. Organisers stated that the difference in prize was down to sponsorship issues rather than sexism.
Skirts or Shorts
On an international scale, female athletes have faces problems when it comes to their wardrobes. At the 2012 Olympics, there was controversy over whether women would be forced to wear skirts or permitted to choose between skirts or shorts.
While people may ask whether we still need feminism it seems, in relation to sport at least, we most certainly do.
