US Open champion Andreescu pays tribute to King and fellow trailblazers

US Open champion Bianca Andreescu has written an open letter to Billie Jean King and other pioneers who campaigned for the rights of female tennis players.

King and the other members of the “Original Nine” were key figures in campaigning for better pay and conditions for female players. Their efforts led to the creation of the WTA Tour and, eventually, equal prize money at major tournaments such as Wimbledon and the US Open.

“Without your gutsy actions, vision and determination for a better future for women’s tennis, we wouldn’t be here today,” wrote Andreescu in the letter, which was originally published on the BBC website.

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“When I lifted the US Open trophy last year and got the winner’s cheque - I know that it is thanks in no small part to you and your incredible bravery that I received the same amount as the men’s champion.

“I first wrote myself a (pretend!) US Open cheque when I was 15 years old. Every year, I’d look at the prize money and, understanding the sacrifice that went into ensuring it was equal to the men’s earnings, it gave me that much more drive to continue to work towards my dream of winning the US Open. Then to go out and actually win it in 2019 was incredible. This was only possible because of the nine of you.”

Andreescu, who missed this year’s US Open with a foot injury, said King and the other players also paved the way for empowerment in other areas.

“What we saw Naomi Osaka do a couple of weeks ago, when she decided not to play a match to protest against racial injustice is incredible, as was Coco Gauff’s powerful speech at a Black Lives Matter protest to demand change,” she wrote.

“With your experiences as an example, the next generation – my generation – of young women is taking charge, using our platforms to speak out for what we believe in and putting it all on the line, regardless of what the outcome or reaction will be. Your leadership has created a powerful platform foundation for us all to speak up for ourselves.”