Equal Play: 50 Years of Equal Pay in Tennis United States Tennis Association

In our last episode, we explore the issue at the very heart of the podcast: equal pay for all. More than 50 years ago, Billie Jean King and the Original Nine paved the way for fair pay. Several generations of athletes in their stead have continued the fight, including basketball star and broadcaster Rebecca Lobo. As a UConn championship winner and one of the first players in the WNBA, Rebecca has advocated for equal pay and accommodations throughout her career. We’re also joined by J.P. Morgan’s Sam Saperstein, the head of “Women on the Move,” an initiative that teaches women about career skills, leadership, financial literacy and much more.
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Seeing women in leadership roles off the court is just as important as highlighting our star athletes—and US Open tournament director Stacey Allaster and sports journalist Lesley Visser know this firsthand. Stacey and Lesley are two of the “firsts” in their respective fields of sports management and sports broadcasting. They join host Chris McKendry in a roundtable conversation about navigating missteps early in their careers, carving out space for other women and what they’ve learned after decades in the field.
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For years, women athletes were expected to give up competing when they became mothers. But some pushed back against expectations, like Dara Torres: a 12-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer. At the age of 41, two years after giving birth to her daughter, Dara became the oldest swimmer to compete on the U.S. Olympic team. We’ll also hear from American tennis player Taylor Townsend on how becoming a mom changed how she thought about her sport and herself.
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Being an elite athlete isn’t just hard on the body—it can also test an athlete’s mental wellness. After her gold and silver medal-winning appearance in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, gymnast Laurie Hernandez reported her longtime coach for abusive behavior.



Laurie joins host Chris McKendry to discuss what it took to publicly address her struggles along with those of other gymnasts who have challenged USA Gymnastics to protect its athletes and investigate abusive coaches and staff. She also discusses her new role as an advocate for mental health in athletics.
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When a 16-year-old Chris Evert made it to the semifinals of the 1971 US Open, a star was born—helping steer women’s tennis toward exciting new heights. From there, Chris dominated, claiming 18 Grand Slam singles titles and winning an astounding 125 consecutive matches on clay courts. Known for her calm demeanor on the court, Chris has left her mark as a terrific player, but has also continued to shape the sport as a respected analyst and commentator. Her wide-ranging conversation with host Chris McKendry covers her trailblazing tennis career and reflections on the sport’s evolution.
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At the 1973 US Open, male and female champions received equal prize money for the first time, 86 years after the first women competed in a national championship in the U.S. in 1887. Just weeks before, the Women’s Tennis Association was established, creating a tour that united women’s professional tennis. The founding of the WTA was the result of the dedication and determination of nine women—the Original Nine—who broke away from the governing body of tennis and established their own professional tour in 1970.



In this episode, host Chris McKendry is joined by one of the Original Nine, Rosie Casals, who remembers what led her and her peers to take a career-threatening risk in the hopes of receiving equal opportunities and pay. Chris also speaks with Sloane Stephens, a player carrying on the legacy of the Original Nine as a member of the WTA Players’ Council.
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