<p class="title">Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said the Brisbane International felt like "a second-hand event" with women relegated to outside courts to make way for men playing the inaugural ATP Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The WTA tournament is being run alongside the Brisbane leg of the men's new team tournament, which has taken over centre court at the Queensland Tennis Centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens blasted organisers on Tuesday, accusing them of favouring the male players and not respecting women, with Sharapova also weighing in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"You definitely recognise it and notice it," she said, with even Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who is hugely popular in Brisbane, relegated to an outside court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event." The ATP Cup's last round-robin matches in Brisbane are on Wednesday, meaning the women can only play on centre court from Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under the ATP Cup's innovative tournament rules, on-court coaching is allowed and team zones are in the corners of the court, rather than on the sidelines by the umpire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharapova, who crashed in the first round to American Jennifer Brady on Tuesday evening, suggested this could be a reason why women were not allowed to share centre court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It's definitely a bit of a strange strategic move," she said of favouring the men.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm not sure (but) I heard that because the way that the court is constructed, that it's not regulation for us to be playing on centre court with the benches on the side.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't know what else it might be that's preventing (us playing there), because I think there's a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre court spot in this draw.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everyone should have a conversation about it, that's just my outside view," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Barty heads a high-quality field in Brisbane, which includes four of the women's top five.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stephens, who is on the WTA players' council, said it was clear that women had been sidelined. "We just weren't in the conversation to even be considered," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was what the ATP wanted -- they got what they wanted, girls to the side, that's kind of how it always is." </p>
<p class="title">Five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova said the Brisbane International felt like "a second-hand event" with women relegated to outside courts to make way for men playing the inaugural ATP Cup.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The WTA tournament is being run alongside the Brisbane leg of the men's new team tournament, which has taken over centre court at the Queensland Tennis Centre.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens blasted organisers on Tuesday, accusing them of favouring the male players and not respecting women, with Sharapova also weighing in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"You definitely recognise it and notice it," she said, with even Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty, who is hugely popular in Brisbane, relegated to an outside court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It feels like a little bit of a second-hand event." The ATP Cup's last round-robin matches in Brisbane are on Wednesday, meaning the women can only play on centre court from Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under the ATP Cup's innovative tournament rules, on-court coaching is allowed and team zones are in the corners of the court, rather than on the sidelines by the umpire.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sharapova, who crashed in the first round to American Jennifer Brady on Tuesday evening, suggested this could be a reason why women were not allowed to share centre court.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It's definitely a bit of a strange strategic move," she said of favouring the men.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I'm not sure (but) I heard that because the way that the court is constructed, that it's not regulation for us to be playing on centre court with the benches on the side.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I don't know what else it might be that's preventing (us playing there), because I think there's a lot of girls that are deserving of that centre court spot in this draw.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Everyone should have a conversation about it, that's just my outside view," she added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Barty heads a high-quality field in Brisbane, which includes four of the women's top five.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Stephens, who is on the WTA players' council, said it was clear that women had been sidelined. "We just weren't in the conversation to even be considered," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was what the ATP wanted -- they got what they wanted, girls to the side, that's kind of how it always is." </p>