Latest news with #BillieJeanKing
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
The WTA And Hologic On Advancing Women's Sports Healthcare
Gaby Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe won the women's doubles title at the Rothesay Open in Nottingham ... More in 2024. The WTA has a proud legacy of prioritizing athlete health, rooted in the vision of the Original 9 and Billie Jean King. Early on, the WTA recognized that simply treating injuries wasn't enough. Female athletes face unique challenges like motherhood and career transitions that demand a proactive, integrated approach to care. Over the years, the WTA has continually evolved to meet these needs, offering support that includes international health coverage, mental health resources, special ranking protections for pregnancy and injury, and on-site access to physicians, physical therapists, and more. In 2022, the WTA took its commitment to athlete health even further through a groundbreaking partnership with Hologic, a global leader in women's health and medical technology. This collaboration is centered on a shared mission: to redefine what wellness looks like for women competing at the highest levels—and to extend those benefits beyond the court. Highlights of this partnership include: WTA Hologic Healthcare, Horizon DXA System Reflecting on her 30 years with the WTA, Kathleen Stroia, the WTA's Senior Vice President of Performance Health, sees the current moment as a turning point—not just for tennis, but for all of women's sports. 'Historically, women's sports medicine has taken a reactive approach,' says Stroia. 'It focused on treating injuries after they occurred. What we've created with Hologic is a proactive, integrated model specifically designed for the unique physiology and life experiences of female athletes.' 'When I started, there was very little data or research on women athletes. Most medical protocols were designed for men and scaled down for us,' she says. 'Today, we're leading with research, innovating with intent, and setting a new gold standard—one where athlete care and performance health go hand in hand.' The WTA offers the most comprehensive annual physicals in women's sports. Players undergo advanced screening that includes DXA scans to assess bone density and body composition, crucial data points that help identify risks early and tailor training regimens accordingly. PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 29: Jessica Pegula of the United States in action against Ann Li of the United ... More States in the second round of the singles competition on Court Philippe-Chatrier during the 2025 French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros on May 29th, 2025, in Paris, France. (Photo by) Just as importantly, the WTA provides dedicated women's health stations at tournaments, giving players convenient access to services that are rarely prioritized in other sports, such as breast and cervical screenings, hormone evaluations, fertility education, and professional bra fittings. 'It's like going to a world-class women's clinic that's built into your career,' says Jessica Pegula, currently ranked among the world's top singles players. 'In one session, I learned more about my hormone levels, bone health, and long-term fertility options than I ever had from years of separate appointments. I walked away with clarity, not just for tennis but for my future as a woman.' RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - NOVEMBER 07: Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada hits pink signed tennis balls for ... More breast cancer awareness into the crowd with Erin Routliffe of New Zealand i(out of pic) after their victory against Caroline Dolehide of the United States and Desirae Krawczyk of the United States in their round robin doubles match during Day 6 of the 2024 WTA Finals Riyadh as part of the Hologic WTA Tour at King Saud University Indoor Arena on November 07, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by) For Canadian doubles champion Gaby Dabrowski, the WTA's commitment to proactive health screening became deeply personal. 'I had found a lump and mentioned it during my annual WTA physical,' Dabrowski recalls. 'Because of that, they fast-tracked me for a scan and biopsy. That's when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was early. And that timing changed everything.' Dabrowski says the medical support from the WTA and the emotional support from Stroia's team carried her through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. 'They didn't just check the box. They surrounded me with care, experts, counselors, even someone to walk me through nutrition during chemo. Kathleen called me personally to check in. It felt like I had an entire family behind me,' Dabrowski says. 'People think of the WTA as a sports organization, but at that moment, they were my healthcare lifeline. If I had waited or ignored it, my story might have been very different.' Dabrowski has since returned to the tour and is sharing her story to encourage other athletes and fans to advocate for their health. 'Early detection saved my life. Every woman deserves access to that.' WTA Hologic Health Screening 2024 According to Stroia, one of the keys to the WTA's success has been its commitment to listening to players and responding in real time. 'Our athletes are not just recipients of care, they're co-creators,' she explains. 'Whether it's about mental health, maternity leave, or injury recovery, we take their input and build policies and services that reflect their realities.' This player-driven approach led to the 2019 overhaul of the Special Ranking Rule, championed by Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka, to better protect rankings for athletes returning from maternity leave or injury. It's also influenced the expansion of mental health resources, including a dedicated mental health care team that travels to major tournaments and provides virtual support year-round. 'Mental health is just as important as physical health, especially in a sport where you're constantly on the road and under pressure,' says Pegula. 'Having access to licensed professionals who understand the demands of the tour has been a game-changer for so many of us.' The WTA has worked to remove barriers by streamlining access to specialists and empowering athletes with knowledge. From nutritionists and sleep experts to injury-prevention research and on-demand telehealth, the infrastructure now reflects a holistic approach to peak performance. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 09: Blair Henley speaks at the ceremony honoring the induction of the ... More Original 9 into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Day Eleven of the 2021 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 09, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo) The WTA's groundbreaking approach to women's athlete health is more than a model for tennis, it's a blueprint for women's sports. By combining cutting-edge science, player-driven policies, and compassionate care, they're proving that investing in women's health is both the right thing to do and smart business. As Kathleen Stroia puts it, 'Athlete care is performance care.' With expanded health screenings, mental health resources, fertility support, and innovative partnerships like the one with Hologic, the WTA raised the bar for what athlete wellness truly means. Stories like Gaby Dabrowski's show how proactive care can be lifesaving, while ongoing initiatives empower players to shape their own health journeys. This holistic, forward-thinking model doesn't just support elite athletes, it has the power to transform health standards for all women athletes. The WTA's commitment ensures that comprehensive, equitable women's health services are no longer a dream but the new standard and a legacy that will continue to inspire the future of women's sports worldwide.
Fast Company
21-05-2025
- Business
- Fast Company
Your honey deuces are paying for a $800 million Arthur Ashe Stadium overhaul
This week, the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) announced that it's putting the revenue from selling U.S. Open tickets and $23 signature Honey Deuce cocktails toward a new cause: Completing an $800 million renovation of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC), the sports complex that hosts the annual tennis championship. The renovation represents the single largest investment in U.S. Open history, according to a press release published by the USTA. It will encompass a full transformation of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, where championship games are played, as well as a luxe new player performance center on the NTC's campus. The work will be spearheaded by the architectural firm Rossetti, which designed Arthur Ashe stadium back in 1994 and has since returned to add a retractable roof to the building, as well as two supplementary stadiums within the complex. This update will bring the lifetime construction cost of Arthur Ashe stadium to over $1 billion. This latest round of renovations is set to be completed by the 2027 U.S. Open, with three construction phases planned to avoid conflicts with scheduled play in the intervening years. The updates are designed to dramatically increase the stadium's capacity and to create a more modern, luxurious experience for both fans and athletes. 'Every square inch' of the stadium is being revamped, from the club level to the lounge and the promenade, Danny Zausner, chief operating officer at the USTA, told reporters in an interview this week. Here's a rundown. What's new at Arthur Ashe stadium The design vision for the Arthur Ashe stadium will be apparent to guests before they even enter the venue. Based on renderings provided by the USTA, a new Grand Entrance will usher viewers into the space through a two-story, futuristic silver ring arcing above the doorways. Inside, the stadium itself will be almost entirely overhauled. Per the press release, the promenade-level concourse, where guests typically gather and mingle, will be sized up by 40%; more escalators and elevators will be added to every level; and an upward extension of the courtside-level bowl will increase its capacity from 3,000 to 5,000 attendees. Arthur Ashe Stadium's overall capacity of 24,000, which makes it the largest tennis stadium in the world, will remain the same as the design team plans to relocate seating to this bowl from other parts of the arena. New amenities will also include modernized concorses with all-new retail, food, and beverage spaces, added clubs and restaurants, and two new dedicated luxury suite levels—presumably catering to the U.S. Open's coterie of VIP guests. 'This project enables us to maintain the greatest stage in tennis—Arthur Ashe Stadium—which was constructed more than 25 years ago, and modernize it in a way that will set it up for the next 25 years,' Lew Sherr, CEO and executive director of USTA, said in the press release. 'It also provides us the opportunity to give the players that compete in that stadium an unparalleled space that will enable them to perform at their best and enjoy a higher level of luxury and comfort while they are off the court.' 'Spa-like' athlete facilities While the U.S. Open fan experience is getting a facelift, part of this major investment is also being funneled toward athlete facilities. Those upgrades will come in the form of a $250 million player performance center, located on the top two floors of an existing building to the west of the Arthur Ashe stadium. Inside, players and teams will be treated to indoor and outdoor fitness areas, 'spa-like' locker rooms and lounges, and even a cafe accessible only to athletes. The press release notes that this added investment is intended to provide the nearly 2,800 athletes and team members at the U.S. Open with 'everything they need to maximize their on-court performance.' 'There's no doubt about it—when you walk into the stadium, the entire look and feel will change,' says Zausner.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
USTA announces Arthur Ashe Stadium overhaul
The centrepiece of the project was a major renovation of Arthur Ashe Stadium alongside plans for a state-of-the-art player performance centre, to be named in honour of US tennis legend Billie Jean King. The upgrades, due to be complete by 2027, are expected to take place in three stages to avoid interrupting the 2025-26 US Opens. Arthur Ashe Stadium upgrades include a new 'grand entrance', 2,000 new seats and luxury-level suites as well as renovations to the concourse, retail and dining areas. The 250-million dollar (£187 million) two-storey player performance centre will be entirely self-funded by the USTA. The new facility is set to include indoor and outdoor fitness areas, expansive locker rooms and lounges promising a 'spa-like experience' as well as indoor dining and a new, dedicated cafe. USTA chief executive and executive director Lew Sherr said the upgrades would improve the experience for athletes and fans alike. He said: 'This project enables us to maintain the greatest stage in tennis—Arthur Ashe Stadium—which was constructed more than 25 years ago, and modernise it in a way that will set it up for the next 25 years. 'It also provides us the opportunity to give the players that compete in that stadium an unparalleled space that will enable them to perform at their best and enjoy a higher level of luxury and comfort while they are off the court.' Sherr added: 'The US Open helps us to deliver on our mission—growing tennis to build healthier people and communities everywhere—by showcasing our sport on the global stage, and this reimagination will bring this presentation to an entirely new level.'
Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Magazine
Billie Jean King
How much impact can you have with a $5,000 donation? If you're tennis legend Billie Jean King, quite a lot. That's how much King gifted in seed money to launch the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) in 1974—an organization that has since channeled over $100 million into creating opportunities for women in sports through research and grants to individual athletes and nonprofits. That initial gift reflected King's trademark fusion of activism and savvy institution-building, honed during a pivotal year in 1973 when she co-founded the Women's Tennis Association, successfully lobbied the U.S. Open to become the first major tournament to offer equal prize money, and beat Bobby Riggs in the historic 'Battle of the Sexes' match. In the ensuing five decades, she's remained dedicated to advocacy for equality in sports and to philanthropy that supports the power of sports to transform lives and foster social change. Her Billie Jean King Foundation provides grants to the WSF, where she is honorary chair, as well as awards for young sports leaders. Celebrating WSF's 50th anniversary last October, King said, 'We must all remain committed to protecting the progress made, while working toward a future where the playing field is truly level.'
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Iconic US Open venue to undergo $800 million transformation
The site of the US Open will undergo an $800 million transformation, the USTA said on Monday, with a "top-to-bottom" modernisation of the famed Arthur Ashe Stadium and a new player performance centre planned for the sprawling Queens campus. Work at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be completed by the 2027 US Open, with construction taking place in phases to avoid any interruption of the 2025 or 2026 editions of the tournament. The project will be entirely self-funded by the USTA, without the use of any public funds or taxpayer money, the sport's national governing body said, calling it the largest single investment in U.S. Open history. "This project enables us to maintain the greatest stage in tennis - Arthur Ashe Stadium - which was constructed more than 25 years ago, and modernise it in a way that will set it up for the next 25 years," USTA CEO and Executive Director Lew Sherr said in a statement. "It also provides us the opportunity to give the players that compete in that stadium an unparalleled space that will enable them to perform at their best and enjoy a higher level of luxury and comfort while they are off the court." The Arthur Ashe Stadium upgrades include the addition of a new "grand entrance" to the facility, 2,000 new seats to the courtside level bowl and two new luxury suite levels. The stadium, by far the largest tennis facility in the world by capacity, will also have upgraded concourses, dining and retail shops. A two-story, $250 million player performance center will include expanded indoor and outdoor fitness and warm-up areas, improved indoor player dining facilities and redesigned locker rooms that promise a "spa-like experience". The renovations are a far cry from the days when players could not expect some basic things in the men's locker room to be the best amenity on offer, four-times winner John McEnroe told reporters at a Manhattan event. "Back in our day, we'd be like 'What the hell is this?'," said 66-year-old McEnroe, a native New Yorker and the last man to win a major with a wooden racket. "To see the level that USTA is going to for the U.S. Open ... I know the players are going to be absolutely thrilled to see this." The announcement comes seven years after the USTA completed a five-year, $600 million renovation project at the grounds. The more than 14,000-capacity Louis Armstrong Stadium opened in 2018 to replace the 1978 stadium of the same name, boasting a retractable roof. The U.S. Open welcomed more than one million fans, a record, in 2024. The tournament's main draw was expanded to last 15 days in 2025, with the added day allowing main draw access for another 70,000 attendees or more, organisers said.
