By: Edoardo Giribaldi
"I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match," female sports icon Billie Jean King stated, recalling her triumph over former number 1-ranked Bobby Riggs on September 20, 1973, in the tennis game celebrated as "The Battle of Sexes."
In his New York Times report, Neil Amdur wrote how the match dismissed skepticism about women facing pressure-filled situations and showcased men's vulnerability.
It all began in February of 1973 when the retired, two-time US Open champion Bobby Riggs claimed the superiority of male tennis over the women's corresponding division. To prove that, he challenged Billie Jean King, who at 29 had already won Wimbledon and three US Open tournaments.
King's figure was significant beyond her on-field accomplishments: she was a fierce activist for women's rights. After some hesitancy, she accepted Riggs' proposal.
The match occurred at the Astrodome in Houston in front of 30,000 people, thus becoming the most-watched tennis game of the time. King trumped Riggs in three sets.
The "Battle of Sexes" set the stage for essential renovations concerning gender equality within tennis, including the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. That same year, King also got the US Open board to abolish the gender wage gap by threatening not to participate in the tournament.
In 1990, Life magazine included her in its "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century" list with only three other athletes: Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and Muhammad Ali.
King recently described the event as "more than a tennis match," highlighting its impact as a "catalyst for social change."
"We have come a long way since 1973, but we are not done yet," King concluded. "Let's keep going for it."
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