About this episode
We are back from hiatus to bring you an episode that we have been working on for months, one that serves as a continuation of our previous dive into Pre-Open Era tennis. With tennis players now able to earn a living while also competing against the best at all the tournaments, we follow the development of the WTA Tour after its inception, the persistent struggles for equality over the decades, and the players who played major roles in making it happen. 04:02 Why do this episode now? 07:21 Cultural context for equal prize money and conditions under which movement arose 20:25 Tennis at the onset of the Open Era & the emergence of the women’s tour 37:51 Chris Evert emerges at the exact right time for women’s tennis 43:43 The WTA takes off; the women take Wimbledon to task 57:42 What were the arguments back then surrounding equal pay? 71:08 Ebbs and flows in the 80s and 90s, but the fight continues 83:00 Wimbledon’s decades-long petty misogyny against EPM 97:20 Our cautions and takeaways from this episode