
Andy Murray, left, became embroiled in a spat this week over equal pay in tennis with fellow men's pro Sergiy Stakhovsky, right. This picture was taken after they played in the 2004 U.S. Open junior final.

Murray criticized Novak Djokovic after the latter, his childhood pal, said Sunday that men's players should get more money than the women.

Murray cited Stakhovsky in making a point. "If Serena (Williams) is playing on center court and you have a men's match with Stakhovsky playing, people are coming to watch Serena," the Scot said.

Stakhovsky, no stranger to making controversial comments, called Murray's remark about him "disappointing." On court, he made his biggest splash by upsetting Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2013.

Djokovic backtracked Tuesday on his comments about equal pay, taking to Facebook, and further clarified his thoughts when he spoke with reporters on Wednesday in Miami.

Before altering his stance, women's world No. 1 Williams took issue with Djokovic: "I have been playing since the age of two and it would be shocking to say my son would deserve more than my daughter," she said.

Murray had disagreed with the Serb, too. "I think there should be equal pay, 100%, at all combined events," he said.

Before Djokovic beat Milos Raonic in the Indian Wells final Sunday, tournament director Raymond Moore, left, said women's players should "get down" on their knees and thank Federer and Rafael Nadal for carrying tennis.

The head of the women's WTA tour, Steve Simon, quickly criticized Moore, as did Williams, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Chris Evert.

In a statement from Indian Wells' owner Larry Ellison -- listed by Forbes as one of the world's 10 richest people -- the Oracle founder revealed that Moore had resigned Monday.