World No.128 Francoise Abanda has said that she will never be as popular as compatriot Eugenie Bouchard because she is black.
The 21-year-old has revealed that she has experienced racism throughout her career on the tour. Abanda started the debate when she commented on a tweet about the disparity in media coverage between her and the former Wimbledon finalist. Bouchard has only managed to win five matches so far this season with her best performance being a quarter-final appearance at the Taiwan Open.
I will never get the same treatment because I am black. It’s the truth! https://t.co/TicR8OnWo0
— Françoise Abanda (@franckie_abanda) May 16, 2018
Speaking about her remarks on social media, Abanda has stood by her comment. During a conference call from Slovakia, where she is playing in an ITF tournament, she said that racism continues to be an issue in the sport. Although she insists that her words was not directed at Bouchard, who she ‘got along well’ with during the Fed Cup.
“I think the problem is a racial problem, and I think that there is some inferiority and superiority going on, and I think that speaking from my personal experience, I have lived with racism in tennis growing up and playing in Quebec, and I’m just speaking the truth and what I’ve experienced,” TSN.com quoted her as saying.
Abanda cited one example of the difference in media coverage of her and Bouchard. Earlier this year she suffered a concussion during her country’s Fed Cup clash against the Ukraine. The incident was in no means as publicized in the news compared to that of Bouchard. Who suffered a concussion at the 2015 US Open and then launched a high-profile lawsuit against the USTA.
“No media talked about it, nobody knows what’s going on, everything is under the shadows,” Abanda said. “So I think opportunity, I feel like when you’re black, you don’t get the same exposure that you should get for a player ranked 120.
“I’m not asking to be exposed like a No. 1 player, I’m not asking to get the same recognition as other players who have achieved more, I’m just saying that there is a minimum that sometimes I don’t even get.”
It has also been claimed the she was excluded from a Tennis Canada video that promoted Canada Day. The governing body has since responded to the allegation by saying Abanda submitted a video of poor quality and she was not available at the time of the filming. Also pointing out that another black player, Felix Auger-Aliassime, did feature in the video.
“My whole point is that I really want to promote equality, I want players to be equal in Canada, I want everybody to be treated the same,” she said.
Abanda has won three ITF titles so far in her career. Her highest ranking was 111th last year.
