FOREWORD BY BRANDON BURKE

1981. Eleven years before I was born. Those eleven years following changed the complexion of the sport of tennis forever. 

Articles like this one are very important. They show the progression of the sport and give critical historical context to where we all – the sport of tennis, and the world in its entirety – have come from. 

As someone immersed in the governance [and administration] of today’s WTA Tour, it is important to understand and to be reminded of our collective history, the struggles that our players have faced, their personal and financial sacrifices, and the bravery, and hard work that brought us here. 

I, like many others in sport and the world over, take my hat off to Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King. We have a long way to go to achieve equality and equity for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, but we celebrate the groundbreaking work of Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, and many others, which has helped to move us forward. We should recognize their monumental achievements as we strive in our work and our everyday lives to sustain and build upon their accomplishments. I know that I do. 

I encourage each of you to read the article “Navratilova, King and the 90 Days that Shook Women’s Tennis” by Johnette Howard published on www.wtatennis.com.