The enthusiastic cheers echoing across tennis courts often hide a harsher reality: the inequality that plagues the sport—a sport that should symbolize fairness and equality, especially in today’s progressive society. Tennis has long been on the front line of gender equality, with trailblazers like Billie Jean King paving the way for equal pay. Yet, several disparities still let women down, particularly in prize money, scheduling, and controversial venue decisions such as those involving Saudi Arabia.

The disparity in prize money has long been a sticking point. Although all four major Grand Slams have offered equal pay to men and women since 2007, this parity isn’t replicated throughout the smaller tournaments. For instance, the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) total prize money was significantly lower than that of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) tour in past years. This discrepancy sends a disheartening message to female players: no matter how hard you serve or how vigorously you volley, your efforts are valued less.

Scheduling is another area where inequality manifests. Major tournaments often schedule women’s matches on smaller courts or at less desirable times, compared to men’s matches. This impacts not just the visibility of women’s matches but also carries potential financial implications for female athletes in terms of sponsorship and audience reach. The underlying message is clear—women’s tennis is not ‘prime time’ material.

Finally, let’s consider the choice of venue locations such as Saudi Arabia where women’s rights are widely criticized. The Kingdom has invested heavily in sports, dubbed ‘sportswashing,’ to soften its international image concerning human rights records. Female athletes find themselves at a moral crossroads when participating in events held there due to the country’s oppressive laws against women. Accepting these venues and investments could be viewed as complicity with these laws or as ignoring the broader struggle for women’s rights within Saudi Arabia.

While steps toward equality have been made in recent years, these examples illustrate how tennis still has a considerable journey ahead before it can claim true parity between male and female players—both within and beyond court lines. The sport must address these systemic issues to honor its commitment to fairness and equality truly—it owes this much to every woman picking up a racket around the world.