Tennis' Battle Of The Sexes Match Still Resonates 45 Years Later

This week marks the 45th anniversary of the Battle of the Sexes, the landmark tennis match between 29-year-old Billie Jean King and 55-year-old Bobby Riggs.

King soundly defeated Riggs in the three-set match, instantly becoming an symbol for women's equality on and off the court. Her victory was timely. It came in the first year of Title IX, which required the government to equally fund both men and women's sports programming in colleges across the country. 

The issue of gender inequality in professional tennis made headlines again recently, when Serena Williams protested a penalty she perceived to be sexist during a championship match in this year's U.S. Open in Queens.

Caitlin Thompson, founder of Racquet Magazine, spoke with WNYC's Richard Hake about the historic match, and how much has — and hasn't — changed in the decades since.