09/20/1973 • 7 views
Billie Jean King Beats Bobby Riggs in 1973 'Battle of the Sexes'
On September 20, 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in a highly publicized tennis exhibition at the Houston Astrodome, a match framed as a symbolic contest over gender and sports equality.
Background
Bobby Riggs, a former Wimbledon and U.S. No. 1 player who had retired from top-level competition, staged a series of promotional matches in the early 1970s asserting that even in his older age he could beat top female players. Riggs defeated Margaret Court in May 1973 in a match that amplified public interest and set the stage for a rematch against a more formidable opponent. Billie Jean King, a leading player of her generation, co-founder of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and an outspoken proponent of equal pay and treatment for female athletes, accepted the challenge. King viewed the match as an opportunity to counter Riggs’s assertions and to spotlight broader issues of gender equality in sports.
The Match
The exhibition took place indoors at the Astrodome in Houston before a large live crowd and a vast television audience. King prepared meticulously, treating the event like a professional contest rather than mere publicity. She employed disciplined tactics, consistent groundstrokes and aggressive net play to prevent Riggs from dictating points with his trademark chipping and lobbing. King won in straight sets, 6–4, 6–3, 6–3, demonstrating control and tactical clarity throughout the match.
Immediate Impact
King’s victory was celebrated by many as a symbolic win for women’s rights and for the legitimacy of professional women athletes. The match intensified public discussion about gender roles and the status of women in sports, contributing momentum to ongoing efforts for equal prize money and greater institutional recognition. For Billie Jean King, the win reinforced her public profile as both an elite competitor and an activist; for Riggs, the loss shifted public perception from spectacle toward questions about exhibitionist tactics and motivations.
Longer-Term Significance
Historically, the match is remembered less as a pure sporting contest than as a cultural event that intersected with the women’s movement of the 1970s. It helped draw attention to disparities in prize money and media coverage between men’s and women’s tennis and spurred conversations that influenced the sport’s development. The WTA, founded in 1973, and subsequent progress toward equal prize money at some major tournaments were part of a broader context to which King’s win contributed.
Caveats and Context
Contemporary and historical assessments emphasize that the match’s symbolic weight sometimes exceeds its sporting significance: Riggs was 55 at the time and was past his competitive prime, while King was a current top professional. The encounter was an exhibition with entertainment elements rather than a sanctioned championship match. Historians and commentators note both the match’s genuine impact on public perceptions and the ways promotion and personality amplified its cultural resonance.
Legacy
The 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" remains a frequently cited episode in discussions of sport and gender, often invoked to illustrate how athletic contests can carry social and political meaning beyond scores and titles. Billie Jean King’s victory is remembered as a defining moment in her career and a public milestone in the struggle for recognition and equality for women athletes.