Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek Falling $350 Million Short of Messi and Ronaldo Leaves Billie Jean King in Disdain

Income disparities have cast a long shadow over the sports arena, sparking heated debates and earnest calls for change. Activists and pundits have tirelessly advocated for reducing gender inequalities, highlighting the myriad factors that perpetuate them. Lately, tennis legend and equality advocate Billie Jean King added her powerful voice to the chorus.

The former American Tennis player Billie took to her Instagram account on Wednesday and shared a graph highlighting the gender disparities between male and female athletes. The disparity is not just a few hundred or thousands, but several million dollars. This disparity did not resonate well with King, who quickly took a sarcastic jibe.

Notably, the graph shows the highest-paid athlete in the world and portrays the disparity when female tennis players were compared with male players of other sports. The first name on the graph was that of Soccer sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, whose payment stood at $260M. The closest contender to him from the world of Women’s tennis was Iga Swiatek, who earns just $23.9 Million.

Billie Jean King and the renowned ‘Battle of Sexes’
On the evening of September 20, 1973, the Houston Astrodome atmosphere was electric as over 30,400 spectators gathered to witness a must-see event: the iconic “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between 29-year-old Billie Jean King and 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. This wasn’t just another tennis match. It was a spectacle that captured international attention!

As the match progressed, the World witnessed Billie stunning Bobby Riggs. Last year it marked the 50th anniversary of her triumph. She stated, “It gave women self-confidence to ask for what they want and need. Because we’re taught not to.”