In 2023, the world celebrated 50 years since the Battle of the Sexes took place, and the year that equal prize money was given to male and female athletes at the US Open. But how much of this story do you actually know? And what impact did Billie Jean King actually have on tennis and women's sports?
Well, here's the story...
The Roots Of Tennis
The sport of tennis came from fairly aristocratic roots and the notion of earning money from the sport was frowned upon. In its early days, the sport was the favourite pastime of the country club culture essentially excluding common folk. As the popularity of the sport started to grow, people from all walks of life started picking up rackets, bringing forward some exceptionally talented people that wanted to turn their passion into a profession.
Yet, the transition from amateur to professional status proved to be a double-edged sword. While going pro symbolised a leap towards professionalism and financial gain, it also meant relinquishing access to the sport's grandest stages. Professionals found themselves barred from entering top tournaments hosted by private clubs, effectively sidelining them from the pinnacle of the sport.
The Problem and Solution
From the 1960s, tennis was overshadowed by this practice known as "shamateurism" (sham and amateurism) which perfectly encapsulated what was plaguing the sport at the time - amateur players weren't allowed to receive financial compensation for their performances and when they saw what was happening to the professional players they decided to stay within their constraints and remain amateur. They were able to figure out a few loopholes and cooked up some secret deals that allowed them to make money while pretending to be amateurs. This practice obviously caused a dark cloud over the sport and it wasn't just a slap in the face to the sports integrity but also block the path to growth and opportunity for players especially women.
The tennis world finally realized that is needed a change and the solution to this was Open Tennis. As legendary player and promoter Jack Kramer once said, “The most well-known events didn’t have the best players. Tennis was a great sport, but with amateurs and pros in two different areas, it couldn’t get the exposure it truly deserved.” dvocates like Kramer had long championed the cause of Open tennis, where amateurs and professionals could compete together for prize money.
On March 30, 1968, at the Automobile Club in Place de la Concorde, Paris, the International Lawn Tennis Federation (ILTF) voted to approve Open tennis. This decision paved the way for tennis to evolve into a fully professional sport, complete with prize money and sponsorships. With time, this would lead to increased television coverage, publicity, and expanded opportunities for players.
However, the introduction of Open tennis did not immediately resolve the disparity between men's and women's tennis. In fact, the gap widened, with male athletes overshadowing their female counterparts. Prize money discrepancies were stark, with male winners receiving substantially higher rewards than their female counterparts. For instance, at the 1970 Italian Open, the men's champion earned $77,500, compared to just $600 for the women's winner. Similar discrepancies were seen at the US Open, where the men's champion received $20,000, while the women's champion received only $7,500. Promoter Jack Kramer exacerbated the issue by setting up a $1 million International Grand Prix tennis circuit for 1971, sponsored by Pepsi, with limited opportunities for women.
Challenging the Norm
Set on bringing about equality in tennis, Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals, and Nancy Richey, three formidable tennis players, began to plan how they could challenge the status quo. They sought the guidance of Gladys Heldman, a pioneering businesswoman and staunch advocate for women's tennis. Together, they devised a strategy to address the systemic barriers facing women in the sport.
Their journey began with a bold move – organizing an eight-woman tournament in Houston, Texas, with a substantial cash prize. This marked the inception of the Virginia Slims Invitational, sponsored by the eponymous cigarette company. The tournament catalysed change, propelling women's tennis into the spotlight and challenging the entrenched gender norms of the sport.
However, their efforts faced formidable opposition from the establishment, epitomized by the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA). Despite threats of suspension and legal challenges, the women stood firm, determined to secure their rightful place in the sport. The tournament in Houston was a triumphant success and with cigarette advertising on television coming to an end, Virginia Slims had a lot of tobacco dollars remaining so they redirected money towards women's tennis. By 1971, players found themselves in an all-encompassing whirlwind of promoting and competing practically around the clock. By the end of the season, Billie Jean King clenched the title of the first female athlete to win $100,000 in a single calendar year.
The Battle Of The Sexes
With the introduction of Title 9 in 1972 a federal law (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities) in the USA, women's tennis grew exponentially in a short time but still had many obstacles to overcome.
The pinnacle of this struggle came in the form of the Battle of the Sexes, a historic showdown between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs - who was number one in the world and had won the Triple Crown at Wimbledon in 1939. Riggs was also a self-proclaimed male chauvinist and he was the one who actually called on Billie, challenging her to a tennis match.
On September 20, 1973, in front of a global audience of 90 million, King beat Riggs in straight sets, emerging victorious and drawing attention to the broader struggle for gender equity in sport.
Tennis As We Know It
Today, the legacy of Billie Jean King, alongside Gladys Heldman, Rosie Casals, and Nancy Richey, endures as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring athletes and advocates of gender equality. Thanks to their efforts, tennis has become the highest-paying sport for female athletes, and securing equal pay for the winners of the US Open (as seen when Coco Gauff became the US Open 2023 champion, winning $3 million and earning the status of the highest paid female athlete in 2023).
As we reflect on this remarkable journey, let us not forget the words of Billie Jean King herself: "I always felt that if we got big prize money then the appreciation would follow, and I think this is exactly what's happened."
This story can be described as a ripple effect of being brave, and we are indeed glad that Billie Jean King along with other brave women, cast a stone.
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