JTCC takes pride in celebrating Women’s History Month by sharing the inspiring stories and significant contributions women have made to tennis, both on and off the court!
From Maureen Connolly, who was the first woman to achieve a “Calendar Year Grand Slam” in 1953 by winning all four Majors, to Althea Gibson trailblazing the path for Black women by becoming the first Black—male or female— to win a Grand Slam in 1956, the impact women have had on the history of tennis and gender equality is endless.
In 1970, Billie Jean King and eight other committed women known as the “Original 9” bravely fought for gender equality and equal pay by boycotting the Pacific Southwest Championships and its 12:1 ratio in the discrepancy between the men’s and women’s prize money.
Three years later with more than 50 million viewers watching, King defeated Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes” which highlighted the fight for equal pay, rights, and treatment for women in all sports, not just tennis.
More recently, Serena and Venus Williams have left their legacy in tennis by capturing a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles and inspiring others to be themselves on court. Venus is recognized as the voice who fought for equal prize money at Wimbledon which occurred in 2007—34 years after the US Open first paid equal prize money to the men and women.
Stay tuned throughout the month, as JTCC will showcase and recognize historical milestones and feature interviews with renowned tennis trailblazers who serve as an inspiration and continue to drive the growth of tennis and push for gender equality.
