Tennis is Love
let us make this a power of sports moment
TENNIS / JUSTICE / EQUALITY — SPECIAL EDITION
I am committed to my REGULAR NEW schedule of posting 4 days per week. Today is a special exception because something is happening that I feel strongly about and want to share my opinion. I think it was just wonderful this evening to have a place to express this. Thanks for reading.
Shuai Peng is a great tennis player from China. Anyone, in my opinion, who makes it to the pro tour and plays consistently is remarkable. In 2014 she was part of the #1 ranked doubles team in the world. As a singles player, she rose as high as #14 in the world. Shuai Peng is not in the news today because of her achievements on the tennis court but instead because she has disappeared from sight in the police state called the “Peoples Republic of China”. I find the name chosen to be ironic as it neither focused on the people nor some concept of a republic.
Shuai Peng reported and accused a high-level premier of this police state of sexual assault and has promptly disappeared. What has happened and why is not the purpose of this post. I am much more interested in the response of women tennis players around the world, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), and our much-maligned free press.
Frequent readers already know of my interest and passion for tennis. There are many things about the game that I love. Much like golf, the game is governed by high standards of etiquette and tradition. Watch most any sport on television and we will often face reports of off-the-field issues, behavioral outbursts, and the like. All sports have their challenges but I believe that tennis has managed itself admirably in many of its affairs. A great working example was being willing to default Novak Djokovic at the US Open for a violation of the rules. Standards beget behavior.
I have three sons and no daughters. My brothers both have raised daughters who were FORTUNATE enough to be raised in the era of Title IX reforms which ensure that women are treated equally in high school and collegiate sports. As the years have gone by it is interesting that women now provide a significant majority of collegiate students. These are wonderful reforms and I sincerely hope they are not controversial.
The recent rise of China economically has led to horrible compromises from all quarters of American society. People loathe to give up on endorsements, revenues, or the perceived future opportunities in China. A handful of companies has bravely WALKED AWAY from the strictures of China. Google left China in 2010. Microsoft recently announced that its LinkedIn operation will cease operation. Apple has long had a cozy relationship manufacturing many of its goods in China under suspect conditions. It appears they are SLOWLY moving their operations out of China. Commerce and greed are strong forces when faced with the opportunity to do the right thing. The NBA has had recent controversies related to China and seems unwilling to hold them to account but would rather keep the money flowing to some of its biggest stars.
In the world of women’s sports, tennis has consistently been the ONE place where women can earn comparably to men. I think all of this is likely due to Billie Jean King and the original 9. Any young woman or parent of a daughter has these amazing nine women to thank for what has become a more level playing field as a result. All movements related to fighting for rights require the figures who risk and sacrifice the most. In 1970, a group of nine women risked their careers to reach for equality in women’s tennis. Here is a video celebrating the nine in a 50th anniversary at the US Open. The result of their efforts led to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
The original Title IX legislation was followed in 1972. Over the next forty years, slow reforms have crept through the NCAA toward equitable treatment. Here is a fact that is NOT coincidental. In 1990, Forbe’s Magazine began printing a list of the highest-paid male and female athletes. Since that year, in every single year, the highest-paid female athlete has ALWAYS been a tennis player. While I love tennis, I am not foolish enough to believe that is because of the innate superiority of the sport. Tennis has been the trailblazer for women and equity for half a century. Did you know that there is equal prize money for men’s and women’s tennis Grand Slam events? It is the ONLY sport in which that has happened.
One of my favorite quotes about the sacrifice that can lead to transformation and is attributed to Robert F Kennedy:
Some men see things as they are and ask, Why? I dream things that never were and ask, Why not?
I am sure some people have strong opinions about differences in size, strength, athleticism and hence prize money. I would posit that women in collaboration with men in the sport of tennis have CHOSEN to embrace those differences and market and educate the viewer and provide events that ENTERTAIN on an equal footing.
I have great hope that in this horrible moment where no one knows where this woman has disappeared to, an organization named the WTA will show the world of sports and perhaps business the way in which we first envision and therefore create a better world in the spirit of RFK. If the WTA must use the cudgel of no tennis tournaments and activities in China for ten years, that would be a wonderful start. Governments and businesses and other sports take notice. I believe the world might have the opportunity of a fine lesson.
Here is my song for the night. I feel like the “Original 9” and now the WTA is setting an example worth FOLLOWING. That is what inspired tonight’s music.
If you agree with what I have decided to talk about this evening in this “special edition”, please pass it on.
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