Icon's astonishing sacrifice that saved tennis

2 years ago 54

In 1970, women's tennis was virtually nothing.

While the men took centre signifier everywhere, the women were relegated to the backmost courts.

Pay and prize money? Also virtually nothing. Certainly not capable to past on.

FOLLOW LIVE: Australian Open 2023 time 12

But that changed erstwhile Billie Jean King led a radical of the champion pistillate players - present known arsenic the Original Nine - to commencement their ain nonrecreational circuit successful pursuit of adjacent rights.

Alongside King was chap Americans Peaches Bartkowicz, Julie Heldman, Nancy Richey, Rosie Casals, Valerue Ziegenfuss, and Kristy Pigeon, arsenic good arsenic 2 Australians - Judy Dalton and Kerry Melville Reid.

Seven of the Original Nine person reunited successful Melbourne during the Australian Open, wherever they were recognised for their achievements successful a peculiar ceremonial connected Rod Laver Arena up of the women's semi-finals connected Thursday evening.

Watch the Australian Open unrecorded and escaped connected the Nine Network: Channel 9, 9Gem and 9NOW.

During a peculiar aired connected Stan Sport's Grand Slam Daily, King said they acceptable retired with 3 goals.

"We decided that we would springiness up our careers for the aboriginal generations. I retrieve each of america asking each different truly similar is this thing you're truly consenting to do?" she said.

"Think astir if you ne'er tin play again - and we decided we didn't care.

"[There were] 3 things we wanted for the aboriginal - and a small spot for ourselves if it worked, but nary guarantees.

"Number 1 was immoderate miss calved successful this world, immoderate miss if she's bully enough, volition person a spot to compete.

"Number 2 [was] to beryllium appreciated for our accomplishments, not lone [for] our looks.

"Number 3 - astir importantly for america - was that we privation to beryllium capable to marque a living."

Heldman's parent Gladys was the steadfast of the influential World Tennis Magazine, and with her backing, they each signed one-dollar contracts and recovered sponsorship for their archetypal tournament, held successful Houston.

It was 3 years from past earlier the WTA was officially formed, but its roots are firmly successful that tourney successful Houston.

Sam Stosur, who played successful her past nonrecreational tennis tourney connected the doubles draws of this year's Australian Open, said her full vocation was owed to the Original Nine.

"Every azygous subordinate since past has been capable to person a career, person a beingness [because of them]," she said.

"We beryllium everything to these women and they are incredibly peculiar people.

"They didn't cognize what was going to hap to them erstwhile they signed those contracts - it could person been a catastrophe for them each personally, but they took the hazard and … each azygous tennis subordinate is truthful thankful for what they were capable to do."

Stosur said the effects of their actions dispersed acold beyond tennis.

"Obviously they were trying to marque a tennis tour, but it meant truthful overmuch much for women astir the world," she said.

"Whether you play tennis oregon don't play tennis, they were large for women's rights.

"Billie is conscionable an unthinkable idiosyncratic and erstwhile you perceive her speak, she commands attraction - you privation to basal there, you privation to perceive to her.

"We're precise fortunate she was playing the athletics we each emotion … and we've each benefited from their hazard and what they were capable to do."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!