Bianca Andreescu knows a significant part of her job takes place away from the tennis court, in moments she may not even have a racket in her hand. Whether she’s signing a ball or writing a book for kids, the Canadian tennis star wants to be an inspiration for the next generation and help make her sport better for the girls who’ll follow. The push for gender equity in tennis — particularly in terms of what athletes are paid — is a “beautiful thing,” Andreescu said.
“In my experience, obviously, I haven’t got paid in many tournaments just like the men, but I know that it’s getting better,” said the former U.S. Open winner.
“We do have to thank Billie Jean King for that, because she’s the one that paved the way. And I think our responsibility as athletes now, men or women, it’s just to get that to, I guess, perfection.” It’s been more than 50 years since tennis legend and feminist icon King trounced Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes exhibition match, but disparities between men’s and women’s funding and accessibility still reign through many sports.
“There will always be work to do in this space, because it’s not even just for women and for girls, it’s other equity-deserving groups that need accessibility to sport,” said Eva Havaris, a senior vice-president with Tennis Canada. “So this work will just always be ongoing.” Andreescu’s latest push for change comes in the form of a Tennis Canada campaign on gender equity.
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