MADRID, May 12: World number three Maria Sharapova has demanded women players receive equal prize money to the men.

“I believe women are strong, bold and powerful and deserve to be treated the same as men,” the 19-year-old Russian told a news conference on Thursday.

“There has been a long debate about equal prize money but these things take time. If we keep pushing we'll eventually get there.”

Of the four Grand Slam tournaments, Roland Garros and Wimbledon still have a differential in prize money between the men and the women, although the French Open will pay the men's and women's singles champions the same this year.

Sharapova was speaking at a news conference highlighting the WTA Tour's end-of-season championships' move to Madrid. WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott hoped the championships would promote prize money parity.—Agencies