Who Won The Battle Of The Sexes Tennis Match?

The epic tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs was a landmark event in the history of women’s sports. Who won the battle of the sexes?

Introduction

The Battle of the Sexes tennis match was a historic event that took place on September 20, 1973. The match was played between retired men’s tennis champion and self-proclaimed male chauvinist pig Bobby Riggs and women’s tennis champion Billie Jean King. The event was hyped as “the biggest sporting event of the century” and it did not disappoint, with a then-record television audience of 90 million people worldwide tuning in to watch.

In the end, it was Billie Jean King who emerged victorious, winning 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The match was not only a victory for women’s tennis, but also a symbolic victory for the feminist movement.

Background

The historic Battle of the Sexes tennis match was held on September 20, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome. The event was a best-of-three-sets exhibition tennis match between then world No. 1 female player Billie Jean King and former world No. 1 male player and self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs. It is considered one of the most watched sporting events of all time, with an estimated 50 million people worldwide tuning in to see the live telecast.

The match was seen as a symbol of the feminist movement and women’s empowerment, as King handily defeated Riggs in straight sets, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.

The Match

The Battle of the Sexes tennis match was a highly publicized tennis exhibition match played on September 20, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The event was billed as “the tennis match of the century” and represented the culmination of a series of clashes between supporters of second-wave feminism and the conservative establishment. It is credited with having helped to break down barriers in sport and society for women.

The match was played between 29-year-old Billie Jean King, a top female player who had been a vocal supporter of gender equality in tennis, and 55-year-old ex-champion Bobby Riggs, who had been openly critical of the Women’s Tennis Association and the Lilith Fair movement.

Riggs had previously challenged King to a match after defeating Margaret Court, another leading female player, in what he called “the mother’s day massacre.”

King won the match in straight sets 6–4, 6–3, 6–3.

Aftermath

The publicity surrounding the Battle of the Sexes tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs caught the attention of the media and the public. It was a worldwide event that was broadcast on television and garnered a huge audience. Afterward, both King and Riggs said that the match was a win for all women.

Riggs had been a professional tennis player in the 1940s and 1950s, but he was past his prime by the time of the Battle of the Sexes. He had made headlines a few months before the match by defeating Margaret Court, who was then the top-ranked female player in the world. Riggs boasted that he could beat any woman in tennis, and he saw an opportunity to prove himself by challenging King to a match.

King was one of the leading players on the women’s professional tennis circuit in the early 1970s. She had won Wimbledon twice and was also a champion at several other Grand Slam tournaments. Despite her impressive record, King knew that she would be an underdog against Riggs.

Riggs won the first set of their match 6-4, but King rallied to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-3. She became known as “the queen of tennis” after her victory.

The Battle of the Sexes was hailed as a triumph for gender equality and helped to boost interest in women’s tennis. It also made King into a household name and cemented her reputation as one of the greatest athletes of her generation.

Conclusion

In the end, Billie Jean King won the Battle of the Sexes tennis match 6-3, 6-3. She proved herself to be not only a great female tennis player, but a great tennis player period. This victory was an important step in the fight for gender equality in sports.