Iconic tennis paved the way for Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka and more, Magic Johnson honors legend on 50th anniversary milestone

Magic Johnson’s interests aren’t limited to his former sport of basketball. From taking ownership of an NFL team to cheering on Coco Gauff’s recent accomplishments, Johnson remains focused on all the latest happenings in the world of athletics.

As the tennis world marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark match, the Los Angeles Lakers legend took to social media to remind his followers of the same thing.

Magic Johnson honors Billie Jean King’s big win

A few hours ago, Magic Johnson posted a story on his official Instagram account. He highlighted a decades-old photo of a young Billie Jean King sitting in a throne-like chair.In honor of the 50th anniversary of the iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes,’ the Lakers star highlights Billie Jean’s impact on the franchise “Women’s Rights and Equality”

all around the world.

“Today, women’s tennis players are the highest paid in all of sports, and it’s all thanks to Billie Jean,” Johnson wrote.

While Johnson also said the fight for women’s rights is far from over, 20 September is a great day to celebrate. 50 years ago, King defeated men’s tennis legend Bobby Riggs in straight sets.

The iconic feat drew attention to inequalities in women’s tennis and helped the athlete gain greater recognition. She paved the way for tennis stars such as Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams. Although she is only 25 years old, Osaka’s dominance on the tennis court has helped her win tournaments and land various endorsement opportunities.

This makes Osaka the highest-paid female athlete in 2020, earning nearly $37.4 million in a single year.

Serena Williams, on the other hand, became the highest-paid female athlete in 2016, earning over $29 million. The following year, Williams became the only woman on Forbes’ list of the 100 highest-paid athletes.

What happened during the iconic “Battle of the Sexes”?

The “Battle of the Sexes” takes place on the 20th September 1973.

The game started with Riggs taking a 3-2 lead. Remembering the same moment, Kim said in a 2015 interview that the 3-2 scoreline convinced her it was a life-or-death situation.

Jin won three consecutive sets with scores of 6-4, 6-3 and 6-3.

Her win paved the way for tournaments to start paying equal amounts to male and female players. Riggs was not happy with the decision. He had been heard making the same statement. “She’s a female libertarian and my race is about proving that man is king. … It’s ridiculous that these women are saying they want to make the same money as us.”

His half-century of events might be viewed differently. However, there is no denying that King’s efforts paved the way for women’s rights. NBA legend Magic Johnson certainly agrees.

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