Billie Jean King pens inspiring note to commemorate 50 years of equal prize money at US Open

Billie Jean King, the 12-time Grand Slam champion, shared a powerful message to mark the US Open's celebration of 50 years of equal prize money for men and women.

King, who is revered not just for her tennis prowess but also for her advocacy for women's rights in sports, was one of the first people to speak out against unequal pay for men and women.

King won the 1972 US Open and was bothered by the fact that Romania's Ilie Nastase, the men's champion, received $15,000 more than her in prize money. Different treatments among men and women forced King to fight for equality and her continued efforts eventually led to the US Open distributing the same amount of prize money to its champions starting in 1973, with all four majors eventually following suit.

In her latest essay, King once again stressed the importance of equality, recalling the exact moment when she first realized that something was wrong.

"Equality has been a huge part of my life since I was 12 years old," King wrote. "I had been playing tennis for about a year and I was sitting at the Los Angeles Tennis Club, daydreaming. I looked around and everyone who was playing was wearing white clothes, played with white balls, and everyone who played was white. I said to myself, 'Where is everybody else?' We never truly understand inclusion unless we have been excluded."

The legend also reminded fans of two other crucial events from 1973 — forming of the WTA and her win over Bobby Riggs in the 'Battle of the Sexes'. She expressed her delight at the completion of 50 years of equal pay by saying:

"I’m proud to have helped to steer our sport toward that major milestone of historic progress, one of three very important markers of the advancement toward equality in that remarkable year, which also included the founding of the WTA in June and my “Battle of the Sexes” match with Bobby Riggs in late September."

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Billie Jean King says fight for equality has just begun

Billie Jean King

Although it has been 50 years since men and women started getting paid equally and a lot of other improvements, Billie Jean King urges everyone to further step up. In her note for the celebration, she remarked that one must continue their efforts towards equality in every aspect of life, not just tennis.

"A half-century after that momentous year of 1973, the fight continues," Billie Jean King wrote. "In both sports and humanity, we’ve seen real and tangible evidence of progress in equality. But the truth is we’ve only just begun. There is so much more to do if we are ever to realize a truly level playing field for all. We can always do better. We must do better. Every day, we are helping shape the future."

King's accomplishments on the court have been impressive, including 12 majors in singles, 16 in doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles. However, her legacy as a trailblazer for women's rights in sports is just as significant, and her message serves as a powerful reminder that there is still work to be done to achieve true equality.