'She's The Reason We Fought 50 Years Ago': King Highlights Importance Of Gauff's US Open Win

| by Evita Mueller

Billie Jean King fought bravely for women in tennis 50 years ago, which is why the recently concluded US Open celebrated 50 years since equal pay at the event.

Believe it or not, we still don't have equal prize money for men and women who swing a racquet despite seeing it happen half a century ago. Changes take time, and this has yet to be implemented sport-wide, but it's been in tennis for a while.

The US Open was the first big event that gave equal prize money, with many following suit over the years. Why? Because Billie Jean King fought for it, and the event organizers ultimately caved into her demands and awarded her the same prize money as the men's champion.

In a recent interview with People, King spoke a bit about that fight, touching upon Coco Gauff's US Open triumph, which helped the young American reach her new career-high on the WTA Tour.

Coco winning was just fantastic. When I see her, she's the reason we fought so hard 50 years ago  I think she's such a force.

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King is very impressed with Coco Gauff not just because of her tennis, which is amazing, but also because of her mature nature. She is quite outspoken, never shying away from discussing even the most difficult topics. It's in her genes, in a way, as King shared the story of Gauff's grandmother.

It comes from her grandmother. Her grandmother was the first Black child to go to an all-white school in Delray. To hear her story, if you're a granddaughter and you're hearing your grandmother talk about going to a white school, being the only Black child, I think she's such a force. But I want her to be happy, number one. She's really exciting to watch and a great athlete.

King about Coco Gauff

The future is bright for Gauff and King sees her as the perfect player to continue the development even further in women's tennis.

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