Equal pay in tennis
WE TALK ABOUT
THE recent US Open tournament marks the 50th anniversary of the organisation’s decision to offer equal pay to men and women. The resolution came after American tennis legend BILLIE JEAN KING won the 1972 US Open and spoke out against the unfair way prize money was distributed between male and female winners.
GIRL POWER
Billie Jean was paid $10 000 (then about R7 800) for winning the women’s tournament while the men’s winner, Romania’s Ilie Nastase, earned more than double – $25 000 (then about R19 500).
Thanks to her efforts both male and female champions earned $25 000 (then about R30 000) each at the US Open the following year.
Billie Jean’s bravery also paved the way for tennis champ VENUS WILLIAMS to follow suit. Venus began her fight for equal pay in 2000, when she won her first Wimbledon tournament at age 20.
In 2007, when she won Wimbledon for the fourth time, she was paid the same
