Billie Jean King, a tennis legend and advocate for equality, continues her fight for gender equality in tennis at the 2023 US Open. The packed Arthur Ashe stadium in New York erupted in applause as former First Lady Michelle Obama introduced King on the court.
With tears in her eyes, the 79-year-old waved to the crowd and hugged Obama before making her way to the microphone in the center of the arena. Overwhelmed with emotion, all she could muster was a sigh.
While King retired from tennis in 1983 after a successful career, her most significant victory came off the court. On the opening night of the 2023 tournament, King celebrated the 50th anniversary of the US Open becoming the first sporting event to offer equal prize money to both male and female competitors.
This year’s US Open offers a record purse of $65 million, capping off 17 consecutive years of pay equity at all four Grand Slam tournaments. Michelle Obama referred to King as the woman who made it all possible as she delivered her tribute.
Obama recounted how King, the 1972 US Open champion, formed an alliance with fellow women’s tennis players and threatened to boycott the tournament the following year unless women received the same prize money as men. That summer, it was announced that the women’s winner’s purse would increase, bringing parity to both championships.
While progress has been made, King believes that there is still work to be done. She stated during her speech that women’s tennis is a leader in women’s sports, but the fight for equality continues.
The recent tournaments leading up to the US Open highlighted the ongoing discrepancy in prize money. At the Canadian Open, the women’s draw received significantly less prize money compared to the men’s draw, despite playing the same number of sets. Even at the Cincinnati Masters, where men’s and women’s matches took place at the same venue, the pay gap persisted.
Former world number one, Andy Murray, has been a vocal advocate for equal pay in tennis. He believes that the ATP and WTA, the governing bodies of men’s and women’s tennis respectively, need to work together to find a solution. Murray stated that when competing in the same event on the same courts, players should be playing for the same prize money.
In a step towards equality, the WTA announced that all combined 1000- and 500-level events, the top competitions outside of the Grand Slams, will offer equal prize money by 2027. Non-combined tournaments will follow suit by 2033.
As Billie Jean King continues to fight for equality, she quoted American civil rights activist Coretta Scott King: Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and you win it in every generation.
King’s activism in 1973 led to equal pay for women at the US Open, and even at 89 years of age, she is still at the forefront of the fight for equity in tennis. Her influence and determination serve as a reminder that the battle for equality is ongoing and must be pursued relentlessly.
In conclusion, Billie Jean King’s fight for equality in tennis at the US Open is an inspiration for change. While progress has been made, there is still more work to be done to bridge the pay gap in professional tennis. The efforts of individuals like King and the collective action of players and governing bodies will be crucial in achieving true equality in the sport.
