With the sport uniquely positioned to play a leading role in achieving gender equality, Tennis Australia is proudly championing further progress through its Women and Girls Strategy.
Australia, 27 July 2023 | Vivienne Christie
Tennis has long played a leading role in achieving gender equality.
Trailblazers like Billie Jean King and her Original Nine colleagues are famous for their courageous pursuit to ensure professional women’s players were granted the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
Prize money disparity has at last been eliminated at Grand Slam tournaments – the Australian Open first awarding equal prize money in 1984, all four Slams doing so by 2007 – and a more proportionate number of leadership roles in the sport are now occupied by women.
Alongside those positive milestones, there’s a clear understanding of the work yet to be done.
As Vicki Reid, Director of Government, Social Impact and Stakeholder Relations at Tennis Australia, points out, “Great strides have been taken in the sport, however we still have a long way to go.”
As many in the sport passionately pursue further progress, there’s also formalised commitment. With the support of a $12 million Australian Government investment, Tennis Australia’s Women and Girls Strategy (2022-2027) was developed to improve access and opportunities to achieve gender equality.
“We are committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment across all aspects of the sport,” Reid continues.
“The Women and Girls Strategy identifies inequalities, key drivers for change and assigns measurable outcomes.”
As a sport, tennis is uniquely placed to champion change. A significant proportion of globally-recognised women’s athletes are professional players, with Grand Slams and other tournaments illuminating the many opportunities in the sport.
Reid acknowledges the accompanying responsibility of that status.
“We’re in the privileged position of hosting the Australian Open, watched by over 900 million viewers each year and welcoming over 800,000 people through the gate,” she notes, explaining the broader flow-on effects.
“Tennis Australia is well positioned to champion equality and challenge societal norms and with so many female athletes being top tennis players, we can and will champion and celebrate equality beyond the sport.”
The expansive outlook is also evident in the strategy’s vision of “no limits, on and off the…
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