`Women may boycott events over disparity'

`Women may boycott events over disparity'
AGENCIES

HONG KONG, JAN 4: World No. 1 Martina Hingis says top women tennis players could stage a boycott if the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) fails to provide prize money equal to what men compete for.

Hingis, who is in Hong Kong for an exhibition event, was quoted in Tuesday's editions of The South China Morning Post as saying the disparity in prize money between the men's and women's tours was a source of major discontent among the women.

``I think we women deserve equal prize money to what the men are getting. Presently we get around half, or even less than that, of what the men get, while at the same time the women's game has improved a lot in recent years,'' Hingis was quoted as saying.

``I hope the problem is solved by all parties sitting down and talking together to find a solution agreeable to everyone. But a boycott could happen if we don't get our way,'' Hingis said.

Spaniard stuns Spadea
ADELAIDE: Australians Lleyton Hewitt and Jason Stoltenberg were among the first winners ofthe new century as play got under way in the Australian men's hardcourt tennis championships.

Other results (first round)
Richard Fromberg bt Todd Woodbridge 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4; Magnus Norman bt Scott Draper 6-4, 6-4; Alberto Martin bt Vince Spadea 2-6, 2-6; James Sekulov bt Gianluca Pozzi 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; 2-Tim Henman (Britain) bt Juan Balcells (Spain) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), Jean-Rene Lisnard (France) bt Michael Tebbutt (Australia) 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4, Paul Baccanello (Australia) bt 8-Nicolas Escude (France) 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 6-3, Jason Stoltenberg (Australia) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 6-3, 6-1, Leyton Hewitt (Australia) bt Mark Woodforde (Australia) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, Richard Fromberg (Australia) bt Todd Woodbridge (Australia) 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4, 3- Magnus Norman (Sweden) bt Scott Draper (Australia) 6-4, 6-4.

Qualifier stuns Schwartz
AUCKLAND: Qualifier Vanessa Webb (Canada) pulled off a stunning upset win over Austria's fourth-seeded Barbara Schwartz on a rain-hit second day of the NewZealand Tennis Classic here on Tuesday.

Results
First round: Vanessa Webb (Canada) bt 4-Barbara Schwartz (Austria) 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, 6-Cara Black (Zimbabwe) bt Seda Noorlander (Netherlands) 6-0, 6-1, Mariana Diaz Oliva (Argentina) bt Pavlina Nola-Stoyanova (Bulgaria) 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-4), Jill Craybas (United States) bt Lubomira Bacheva (Bulgaria) 6-4, 6-1