Over 50 years ago, an estimated 90 million people tuned in worldwide to watch the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match.
The contest saw WTA superstar Billie Jean King and former world number one-ranked tennis player Bobby Riggs play each other under the bright lights of the Houston Astrodome in Texas.
Riggs, 55, had claimed that the women’s game was far inferior to the men’s game, and that he could defeat any of tennis’ top female stars.
The American proceeded to challenge Margaret Court, who was the world number one at the time. On May 13, 1973, Riggs defeated Court comfortably: 6-2, 6-1.
After previously rejecting challenges from Riggs, Billie Jean King decided to play her compatriot on September 20, 1973.
Billie Jean King won the ‘Battle of the Sexes’
An estimated 90 million people worldwide tuned in to watch the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ on September 20, 1973. The match remains the most-watched tennis contest in history.
Billie Jean King emerged victorious, defeating Riggs 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 and winning $100,000 in the process.
This was a landmark moment for the present and future of women’s tennis. By winning, Billie Jean empowered female tennis players and inspired a generation of future athletes.
As noted on Billie Jean’s website, her victory against Riggs is often credited with sparking a significant rise in women’s sports participation and empowering women to advocate for equal pay in all sectors of the workforce.
After the contest, King said: “I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win that match. It would ruin the women’s [tennis] tour and affect all women’s self-esteem.
“To beat a 55-year-old guy was no thrill for me. The thrill was exposing a lot of new people to tennis.”
Billie Jean King’s creation of the WTA
It would not be an understatement to say that Billie Jean King is perhaps the most important figure in tennis history.
The American, a winner of 39 Grand Slam titles, formed the WTA 62 years ago at the Gloucester Hotel in London.
Three years earlier, King and eight other professional women’s players broke away from the established tennis governing bodies due to a significant disparity in prize money for male and female players.
The nine players signed $1 contracts to form the Virginia Slims Circuit, which became the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973.
In 1973, the US Open became the first major to offer equal prize money following King’s threat to boycott the event.
Speaking in 2023 about forming the WTA, King admitted it was ‘really scary.’
King told Sky Sports: “It was a nightmare. It was really scary. I was really scared. But I kept thinking about the future. It’s very clear now, if you know the history, they’re living our dream.”
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