The disparity between men and women in sport is a debate that’s raged on for decades. In some sports, women are barely acknowledged. In others, they’re seen as the frontrunners. In general, the majority of people accept that there are differences.
Indeed, you only have to look at one of the biggest sports in the world, soccer, to see that. Although the women’s game has grown markedly over the last decade, it’s not even in the same orbit as the men’s game in terms of media coverage, money, or depth. That’s not to say it’s any less exciting or competitive. However, when all things are considered, men’s soccer operates on a different level to women’s soccer.
One sport where there is less disparity between men and women is tennis. A look at the US Open 2021 odds shows that men's tennis isn't as competitive as women's currently because Novak Djokovic is the heavy favorite at -138. Indeed, if you read the latest US Open betting tips, a number of professional female players have a strong case for winning the tournament.
Interestingly, when people discuss the issues of gender in tennis, they often refer back to 1973, when a prime Billie Jean King took on and beat a former top-ranked male player, Bobby Riggs. One match might not have swung the pendulum of prejudice to the center, but it certainly helped. In fact, when you combine the performance of King with the history of women in tennis, you can see why there’s less of a divide between men and women.
"Billie Jean King" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gage Skidmore
Tennis itself dates back to medieval times and the game of jeu de paume (the palm of the hand). This ancient game evolved into the tennis we know today when English noblemen started playing in the 1790s.
Interestingly, women were able to play even at this early stage. In fact, Mary Ewing Outerbridge was the first person to introduce tennis to the US. She bought some equipment while on a trip to Bermuda in 1874. Upon returning to Staten Island, New York, she set up the country’s first tennis court.
It wasn’t long after this that women’s tennis made it into the Olympics. The first female competitors took to the courts at the 1900 Games in Paris, before they enjoyed a second outing at the London Olympics in 1908. It was over 60 years later that the so-called Battle of the Sexes took place, which only exemplified women's triumphs in the sport.
The first female tennis player to achieve iconic status was Suzanne Lenglen. As well as earning the nickname “the Goddess” and winning eight Grand Slams, the Frenchwoman left the amateur game (dominate at the time) and turned professional. This was a seminal moment as a top-ranked amateur crossing over to the pro circuit was almost unheard of at the time. That sparked a trend that resulted in what we see today.
"Serena Williams at the US Open 2013" (CC BY 2.0) by Boss Tweed
You’re not going to see an unknown amateur tipped ahead of Osaka or even someone in the twilight of her career like Serena Williams. The best female tennis players are professionals because they can be; that’s not the case in all sports.
Whether it’s due to a lack of opportunities, funding, media coverage, or a combination of all three, women don’t have the opportunity to go pro in certain sports. Tennis isn’t like that: not only can the best female players earn a living from tennis, they can earn more than most men. While money shouldn’t be the only marker of parity, it’s a big one.
Men’s and women’s tennis might not be 100% equal, but it’s close and, more significantly, a lot closer than other sports.
