Fans and Media Salivate Over Roger Federer vs Serena Williams at Hopman Cup

Written by Brian Lutz / Backhand City

Tennis is the only sport where the gender comparison won't seem to go away anytime soon.  The 2019 tennis season started off with an intriguing exhibition match at the Hopman Cup with a mixed doubles Fast 4 format featuring Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams.  As you will notice in the clip below the mainstream media thinks it is a real match and not a paid exhibition.

All of this "battle of the sexes" in tennis got me wondering. How has women's tennis evolved since the 1970's?  Where is it going?  What does the data say?  And what innovations are on the horizon for the women's game?  Lastly,  is all of this comparison with the ATP good for the WTA?

How do you feel about gender matches in the Tennis League Network? Would you like to see more mixed gender matches in your league or on television amongst the professionals?

DOES WOMEN'S TENNIS SUFFER FROM COMPARISON?

It started in the early 70s when 55 year old Bobby Riggs dismantled then number #1 Women's tennis player in the world Margaret Court entitled the Mother's Day Massacre.  Four months later Billy Jean King then took the growing movement of gender equality to another level beyond tennis with the Battle of the Sexes tennis match. Ninety million American viewers tuned in to watch them play in the Houston Astrodome where King won in straight sets.  Yet with all of the good that tennis has brought to women's rights it led me to wonder.  Does Women's tennis suffer from comparison?

Brian Lutz is blogger and tennis coach in Miami, FL.  Check out more of this story in depth on his blog: Backhand City