Andreescu: Push for gender equity in tennis 'a beautiful thing'

Bianca Andreescu knows a significant part of her job takes place away from the tennis court, in moments she may not even have a racket in her hand.

Whether she's signing a ball or writing a book for kids, the Canadian tennis star wants to be an inspiration for the next generation and help make her sport better for the girls who'll follow.

The push for gender equity in tennis — particularly in terms of what athletes are paid — is a "beautiful thing," Andreescu said.

“In my experience, obviously, I haven't got paid in many tournaments just like the men, but I know that it's getting better," said the former U.S. Open winner.

"We do have to thank Billie Jean King for that, because she's the one that paved the way. And I think our responsibility as athletes now, men or women, it's just to get that to, I guess, perfection.”

It's been more than 50 years since tennis legend and feminist icon King trounced Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes exhibition match, but disparities between men's and women's funding and accessibility still reign through many sports.

“There will always be work to do in this space, because it's not even just for women and for girls, it's other equity-deserving groups that need accessibility to sport," said Eva Havaris, a senior vice-president with Tennis Canada. "So this work will just always be ongoing.”

Andreescu's latest push for change comes in the form of a Tennis Canada campaign on gender equity.

The new video talks about colours in the sport, from traditional tennis whites to whether a ball is green or yellow. Images then shift to a lilac purple colour — the colour many groups have previously used to showcase their support for gender equity — and talk turns to how women athletes still earn less than their male counterparts.

On the screen, Andreescu sits in a purple umpires chair, flexing.

The scene was filmed during last summer's National Bank Open in Toronto, where Tennis Canada and the tournament organizers opted to paint the chairs in an effort to create conversation around gender equity.

“People were super interested by it. It created a lot of conversation," Havaris said. "Certainly in tennis, a lot of things are sort of white. So when people saw this, it was like, ‘Oh, what's that about?’ It prompted people to talk about it.”

Andreescu was just finishing up practice when a film crew nearby asked if she wanted to take part.

"I said, ‘Of course.’ I mean something like this, this is what I stand for," said the 24-year-old from Mississauga, Ont. "So it turned out very beautifully, and I think it's done really well.”

The National Bank Open is one of the tournaments working to pay equity between athletes on the men's and women's sides.

In 2025, the tournament's WTA prize money is set to reach nearly 60 per cent of the ATP pot as both events expand to 12-day main draw formats. And in 2027, the women's winner will take home as much as the men's.

The total WTA prize money at the NBO in 2027 is expected to be at least US$10 million — a 350 per cent increase over the award in 2023.

"It's definitely taken a while," said Andreescu, who won the tournament in 2019. "But I mean, the more that we can just continue, creating initiatives like (the current campaign) and speaking up about it, it'll be amazing to witness that. So I'm very grateful.”

Tennis Canada's latest push for gender equity comes at a time when women's sports are gaining new ground — and eyeballs — across the world.

The Professional Women's Hockey League set multiple records for attendance in its inaugural season, and the WNBA announced in May that it is expanding to Toronto.

"I think even just people showing up for women's sport now, and the sizes of the audience and the viewership, it just tells you so much about its facts," Havaris said. "The sports speak for themselves, the athletes speak for themselves and their ability. And now it's a lot more accessible and a lot more visible.”

Andreescu has been soaking up women's sports, too. She went to her first WNBA game in New York recently and was amazed by the play of Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu.

The tennis sensation said she's had opportunities to meet women play at the highest levels in their sports, including Canadian hockey great Marie-Philip Poulin, and has always found their conversations about the similarities and challenges they face to be enlightening.

Having those talks is crucial to the continued growth of women's sports, Andreescu said.

“Only us women in sport can truly, truly relate to one another," she said. "So it's nice to have that kind of connection.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2024.