The comments came on the final day of the tournament in Indian Wells, California — one of the premier tennis events outside of the four grand slam tournaments — in which top-ranked Serena Williams fell to Victoria Azarenka.  Play Facebook 
 
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 The head of a major professional tennis tournament came under fire Sunday for disparaging comments about women in the sport, which he later admitted were "in extremely poor taste" and "erroneous." DANIEL MURPHY / EPA 
 
 BNP Paribas Open tournament director Raymond Moore said during a morning news conference with reporters Sunday that players in the Women's Tennis Association were "lucky" and that they "ride the coattails of the men." Novak Djokovic the slick diplomat gets equality debate horribly wrong | Kevin Mitchell Read more 
 
 “If I was a lady player, I’d go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born because they have carried this sport. "There's only one way to interpret that. Novak Djokovic: men’s tennis should fight for more prize money than women Read more 
 
 “Last year the women’s final at the US Open sold out well before the men. So I feel like, you know, that is such a disservice to her and every female, not only a female athlete but every woman on this planet, that has ever tried to stand up for what they believed in and being proud to be a woman.” 
 
 Moore subsequently apologized for his remarks, which he says were “in extremely poor taste”. "At my morning breakfast with the media, I made comments about the WTA that were in extremely poor taste and erroneous," he said in a statement. “I am truly sorry for those remarks, and apologize to all the players and WTA as a whole. We had a women’s final today that reflects the strength of the players, especially Serena and Victoria, and the entire WTA. Every player, especially the top players, contribute to our success — Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) March 20, 2016 
 
 Women's Tennis Association CEO Steve Simon was also quick to condemn the comments as "extremely disappointing and alarming." He is wrong on so many levels. Every player, especially the top players, contribute to our success 
 
 Chris Evert said that while the men’s tour is the bigger draw for fans at the moment, it has not always been the case:
– It took Serena Williams 15 years to return to the BNP Paribas Open after she was booed in 2001. She might never return again. While discussing how money is awarded in men's versus women's tennis on Sunday, tournament director Raymond Moore said female players "ride the coattails of the men. They don't make any decisions and they are lucky," per the Guardian. "If I was a lady player, I would go down every night on my knees and thank God that Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal were born, because they've carried this sport," he added, per NBC News. "There's only one way to interpret that. 'Get on your knees,' which is offensive enough, and thank a man," responded Williams, who was defeated in the final match in Indian Wells, Calif. "That is such a disservice to … every woman on this planet that has ever tried to stand up for what they believe in." A "disappointed" Billie Jean King soon tweeted that Moore was "wrong on so many levels. Every player, especially the top players, contribute to our success." The CEO of the Women's Tennis Association added the comments were "extremely disappointing and alarming." Moore apparently agreed in hindsight. The comments were "in extremely poor taste and erroneous," he said in a statement later Sunday. "I am truly sorry for those remarks, and apologize to all the players and WTA as a whole. We had a women's final today that reflects the strength of the players, especially Serena and Victoria [Azarenka], and the entire WTA." Novak Djokovic, commenting on the controversy, said female players "fought for what they deserve and they got it," but he added male players should perhaps be awarded more money because "we have much more spectators on the men's tennis matches."