MELBOURNE- One dollar. That was the value of the first contract signed by female tennis players in history. It was the most important victory for women in tennis up to then. The Original Nine they marked an era and became largely responsible for today’s tennis being the least unequal sport among the most important disciplines.
In Melbourne Park they are honored again.
Led by Billie Jean King, the group of nine players (Rosie Casals, Peaches Bartkowicz, Julie Heldman, Kristy Pigeon, Nancy Richey, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Dalton and Kerry Melville Reid) were outraged at the brutal difference with men for the payment of tournament prizes.
That was where the help of Gladys Heldman, founder of World Tennis magazine, the “tennis bible” of the time, appeared, who encouraged them to organize their own circuit. She obtained the sponsorship of the tobacco company Phillip Morris and its line of Virginia Slims cigarettes, aimed at the female public. Thus they organized their own circuit in 1970.
At the Houston Racquet Club they put together the first event, for which they signed the iconic contract for one dollar that, however symbolic it was, would protect them from any lawsuit. That was the basis of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), founded three years later.
Seven of the nine made it to Melbourne. On Wednesday afternoon they spoke with the media.
“There were three things we wanted with the Original Nine: that every girl in the world could compete, that we be appreciated for our achievements and not for our physical appearance, and that we could live financially from tennis,” the American summed up.
King also called for Russian and Belarusian tennis players to be accepted at Wimbledon this year: “Hopefully Wimbledon will allow them to play. That aligns with the other Grand Slams. Life is too short!”.
Meanwhile, this Thursday they witnessed the semifinals of the women’s draw in the front row, with two athletes who, until now, cannot return to the All England Club, which is what the champion of 12 Grand Slams would like for both of them.
The $1 USD contract. Image from the movie Battle of the Sexes, which tells the story of the match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs // BATTLE OF THE SEXES
The Belarusians Aryna Sabalenka and Victoria Azarenka, who compete under a neutral flag at the Australian Open, experienced opposite feelings on the night in Melbourne.
Sabalenka broke “her” semifinal curse against the Polish Magda Linette. The 24-year-old advanced to her first Grand Slam final after three failed attempts. The last, after having won the first set against Iga Swiiatek. He tried that time to hide his swollen eyes with giant sunglasses from crying so much at the press conference. He swore revenge and got it.
She will face Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. She was born in Russia and who was able to compete in London, because she represents Kazakhstan. The Kazakh drew attention at the start of the tournament for being scheduled on third-order courts, despite being a current Grand Slam champion. She said she didn’t care, and incidentally she left a spectacular phrase: “The courts where you play at the beginning don’t matter, the courts where you play at the end matter.”
That end is near. The final stretch of this Australian Open remains.
