The phrase 'Battle of the Sexes' conjures images of spectacle, showmanship, and a profound cultural moment, all centered on a tennis court. While modern tennis features equal prize money and parallel tours, the history of mixed-gender exhibitions is a fascinating and complex saga, filled with bold claims, massive audiences, and a genuine quest for competitive answers. The most famous iteration is, without a doubt, the 1973 match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, but the story begins much earlier and has intriguing modern chapters.
The Original Hustler: Bobby Riggs vs. Margaret Court
The modern 'Battle of the Sexes' narrative was ignited by Bobby Riggs, a 55-year-old former World No. 1 and self-proclaimed "chauvinist pig." A brilliant player in the 1930s and 40s known for his gambling and hustling, Riggs sought to prove that even an aging male champion was superior to the top female players of the burgeoning women's tour. His first target was Margaret Court, then the World No. 1 and holder of a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Dubbed the "Mother's Day Massacre," their match on May 13, 1973, was a shockingly one-sided affair. Riggs employed a tactical mix of lobs, drop shots, and soft pace, completely disrupting Court's powerful game. He won decisively, 6-2, 6-1, and immediately set his sights on the other leading lady of tennis: Billie Jean King.
The Astrodome Spectacle: King vs. Riggs
Billie Jean King, a fierce advocate for women's equality in sports, accepted Riggs's challenge. Understanding the match was about far more than tennis, she prepared meticulously. On September 20, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome, over 30,000 spectators and an estimated 90 million global television viewers witnessed a cultural event unlike any other. King entered the stadium like Cleopatra on a gold litter, while Riggs arrived in a rickshaw pulled by models. The theatrics, however, gave way to serious sport. King ignored Riggs's trick shots and mind games, playing a disciplined, powerful game. She ran him ragged, exposing his lack of fitness. In a stunning victory, King defeated Riggs in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
The impact was seismic. King's win was a monumental moment for the women's liberation movement and a huge boost for the credibility of women's professional tennis. As King herself later stated, "I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match. It would ruin the women's tour and affect all women's self-esteem." Her victory secured crucial public support for the women's tour and remains one of the most significant events in sports history.
The Precedent: Before Riggs There Was Kramer
While the Riggs matches popularized the concept, the idea of a "Battle of the Sexes" was not new. In 1922, Suzanne Lenglen, the dominant female player of her era, was denied a proposed match against the top man, Bill Tilden. The most significant pre-Riggs event occurred in 1955. World No. 1 female player Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly, a winner of nine Grand Slam titles, faced former male champion Bobby Riggs in a series of exhibitions. Riggs, then 37, won the matches, but Connolly was severely hampered; she had recently suffered a career-ending leg injury in a horse-riding accident and was far from her peak. This earlier encounter planted the seed for Riggs's later crusade.
The Modern Era: A Shift in Dynamics
The question of a modern "Battle of the Sexes" arose again in the 1990s, fueled by comments from male players. After Steffi Graf's dominant 1995 season, then-Men's World No. 43, Mats Wilander, was asked if any woman could beat him. He replied, "No. There's no way. Just because we serve harder, we serve and volley, and we play a different game." This sparked interest, but no official match materialized. The concept truly reignited in 1998 when the Williams sisters claimed they could beat any man ranked outside the world's top 200. This boast was accepted by Karsten Braasch, the World No. 203. The results were starkly different from the King-Riggs showdown.
- Venus Williams vs. Braasch: Lost 6-2.
- Serena Williams vs. Braasch: Lost 6-1.
Exhibitions and the "One-Handed" Challenge
The narrative evolved further in 2013, the 40th anniversary of King's triumph. Jimmy Connors, aged 60, agreed to play Martina Navratilova, then 50, in a hybrid exhibition. The twist? Connors could only use one serve and Navratilova could play the doubles alleys. Despite the handicaps designed to level the playing field, Connors' superior power prevailed, and he won 7-5, 6-2. More recently, in 2020, retired French player Arnaud Clément beat current WTA star Alizé Cornet 6-3, 6-3 in an exhibition where he played with one hand behind his back for the entire match. This result further underscored the inherent physical disparities that make direct competition impractical.
Who Truly "Won" the Battle of the Sexes?
Declaring a single "winner" of the Battle of the Sexes depends entirely on the metric. In a purely win-loss record, the scoreboard favors the men, especially in the modern era where the athletic gap has been scientifically amplified. However, to view it through only that lens is to miss the point entirely. Billie Jean King's victory was not about proving female athletes were *better* than male athletes; it was about proving they were worthy of respect, equal opportunity, and equal pay. On that front, her victory was a resounding, era-defining success. It was a symbolic win for equality that transcended sport. As King reflected, "It wasn't about tennis that day. It was about social change."
Conclusion: A Legacy Beyond the Scoreline
The "Battle of the Sexes" is not a single match but a ongoing conversation about gender, sport, and equality. The 1973 match remains the most important chapter because of its profound cultural impact. The subsequent exhibitions, while interesting curiosities, have largely served to highlight the biological differences between elite male and female athletes rather than to promote a meaningful sporting contest. The true legacy of the Battle of the Sexes is not found in a head-to-head win column but in the progress it spurred. It paved the way for the WTA's growth, inspired generations of female athletes, and remains a powerful reminder that the fight for respect and equal footing is often the most important battle of all.