Sexy ballgirls serve up controversy in Spain

October 21, 2004

Top seed Tim Henman joined a chorus of players who can't see what the fuss is about as a feminist Spanish politician goes to war against leggy models serving as ball girls at the Madrid Tennis Masters.

"It's all getting a bit serious, isn't it?" said the Briton, whose wife is expecting their second baby, after being told that Spain's secretary of state for equality, Soledad Murillo, has called for the tradition-busting experiment to be halted.

"They are fomenting a clear discriminatory vision," the female minister stormed in the local press, calling it a "sexual use of the image of women".

Tournament director Manolo Santans countered that he'd be pleased to see scantily-clad male models at a few women's events, adding that he's yet to receive a letter of complaint from anyone.

"If a letter comes I will react to it but I cannot comment on a letter I have not received.

"The models are doing a job and are being paid for it - around 1,200 euros. It's the fruit of a sponsorship deal."

Second seed Andre Agassi also gave his tentative seal of approval to the publicity attracting one-off, limited to night showcase matches.

But he hasn't had the chance to personally experience the phenomenon as his match was played during the day.

"I think it's something different, isn't it? They certainly look good from where I've been sitting," said Agassi.

The girls, all professional models in their late teens and early 20s, have been working at the Rockodromo to public appreciation.


With their long slit skirts, it's the bending over which seems to pose the biggest problem as ball girls tend to be outfitted in shorts.

"The skirts look like they're a little difficult to run in - I think they need to be shorter maybe," joked Agassi.

Spain's Albert Costa, who fell to Henman today, said there was no issue.

"I haven't been influenced at all. In my opinion, they're doing well.

"I think we're talking too much about it, too much gossip. The goal of this new idea is to offer a show, but I don't think it's sexist.

"But the girls are the ones to answer this question, how they feel. That's up to them."

One ballboy was reported to have aired a more economical than social complaint: "They give us a sandwich and the girls get a wage," he said in sports paper Marca.


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