Battle of the Sexes – Tennis

September 20, 1973, would see women achieve new status in the sports world after Billie Jean King won the famous three sets against Bobby Riggs. The match that was witnessed by more than 90 million people from all over the world attracted attention not just from tennis fans but the general public. As the term suggests, this was viewed as a battle of sexes as a woman took to stage to prove her worth in the world of tennis. This was part of a bigger rivalry that has existed for decades where women were seen as lesser beings.

The Widely Celebrated Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King early age revolved around sports and what people did not know was that she had tried several sports before settling for tennis when she was in her fifth grade. She first tried basketball but later at the age of 10 years turned to softball where she won the U14 championship.

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2nd July 1964: American tennis player Billie Jean Moffitt (later King) in action during a semi-final in the women’s singles championship at Wimbledon. (Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Getty Images)

She was first introduced to tennis by her friend Susan Williams which marked the begging of her career as we know it today. In her career, she won many awards, but she became a favorite for many after she won the famous ‘battle for the sexes.’

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