Novak Djokovic has apologised for any offence he may have caused with his comments regarding prize money for men and women in tennis and sought to clarify what he meant. The world number one caused a stir at the weekend when, following controversial remarks made by Indian Wells chief executive Raymond Moore on the subject, he said men should be awarded more prize money than women. Speaking after his victory in the BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells, the Serbian said women deserve the money they get, but men should fight for more because their game attracts more viewers.

Those views attracted criticism from various quarters, but Djokovic has now issued a statement on his Facebook page seeking to explain exactly what he meant. He said: “I was asked to comment on a controversy that wasn’t of my making. Euphoria and adrenalin after the win on Sunday got the best of me and I’ve made some comments that are not the best articulation of my view, and I would like to clarify them. “As you all know, I care deeply about the future of the game and all of the players. Tennis helped me so much in my life and being where I am today, I felt the need to speak about the fairer and better distribution of funds across the board – this was meant for both men and women. “We all have to fight for what we deserve. This was never meant to be made into a fight between genders and differences in pay, but in the way all players are rewarded for their play and effort. “Tennis is a sport that I love and that gave me the opportunity to help others who still have a long way to go to achieve their dreams. This was my view all along and I want to apologise to anyone who has taken this the wrong way.”