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[ad_1] LONDON: World number seven Ons Jabeur said women players should not have to wait to receive the same prize money as their male counterparts at the Italian Open after tournament organisers announced plans to achieve pay parity by 2025. Tennis has sought to be a leader in the battle for equality in the last couple of decades with equal prize money offered to men and women at the four Grand Slams. WTA Tour events, however, still often offer less prize money than those on the separate men's circuit. In the Rome tournament, the total "financial commitment" for the men is $9.51 million while for the women it is $3.5 million. Italian tennis federation chief Angelo Binaghi said last month the event had started a process that would lead to equal prize money over three years, but Tunisian Jabeur called for immediate change. "I don't see why we have to wait," Jabeur told the New York Times. "It's really frustrating. It's time for cha...

[ad_1] ROME: Jannik Sinner said he is now playing with a different mindset and is not afraid to predict he can win the "big, big matches" as the Italian returns to the court in front of his home fans in Rome this week. Sinner withdrew from the Barcelona Open quarter-finals last month due to illness and skipped the Madrid Open the following week, but the 21-year-old said he is fully fit for the Italian Open. Seeded eighth in Rome, Sinner reached the quarters last year for the first time and he is aiming to go the distance this time around. "I have a different mindset now," he told the ATP website on Tuesday. "I'm not scared to say that I can win big, big matches. I'm here, I can do it ... But in another way, you have to have the right respect for every single player. "Every player is so tough. Also emotion-wise, it's sometimes not easy. But if I go in my way, I want to push myself to the limits because I know that, especially there...