Gender equality in sports has long been a subject of intense debate, with demands for equal pay growing stronger each year. Yet even in 2025, the issue remains unresolved. The WNBA’s ongoing revenue dispute, led by stars like Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, underscores that struggle. In such times, Venus Williams’ historic fight for equal pay in tennis stands out, a moment that made even her sister Serena Williams beam with pride.

In a recent episode of the X Originals, ‘Stockton Street,’ the Williams sisters made an appearance. And while they navigated through a bunch of topics, Serena reminisced about the time Venus spoke about equal pay at Wimbledon. “But this is Miss Business. And I remember she, you were in, when you walked into that room in Wimbledon, and you demanded equal pay and all the stuff that you did, it was very, I feel like I learned a lot from Venus,” said Serena. And there was more to it.

Reflecting on her sister’s impact, Serena Williams highlighted Venus’s strength and clarity of purpose. “She’s very matter of fact, she takes every single emotion out of it, and she just speaks. And when she went and fought so hard to have equal prize money for every single woman that was playing tennis, it was huge,” Serena said. She even added that Venus’s example taught her to confidently speak up for herself and her values.

It was Venus who ultimately took the fight for equal pay into her own hands. In 2005, before her Wimbledon final against Lindsay Davenport, she brought the issue directly to a governing body. A year later, she shared her stance in an article for The Times of London. Her persistence finally paid off in 2007 when Wimbledon announced equal prize money for men and women.

Fittingly, Venus became the first woman to receive equal prize money at Wimbledon after defeating Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1 to capture her fourth title. But for the Williams sisters, the victory went far beyond the trophy. Both Venus and Serena have continued to use their platforms ever since, standing firm in their commitment to champion equal pay and greater opportunities for women in sports.

How Serena and Venus Williams lead the ongoing fight for equal pay

Calls for fairness in sports have only grown stronger, and WNBA players are now leading that charge. Pushing for equal pay and a revenue-sharing model similar to the NBA’s, they made their stance clear at the All-Star Game by wearing jerseys that read, “Pay us what you owe us.” Since then, negotiations have stalled without resolution. But the fight for equity extends far beyond just the WNBA.

US women’s soccer players, who have been ruling internationally in the World Championship and the Olympics, are forced to fight their way for fair pay. And alongside these sports, in tennis, too, two sisters have been advocating for equal pay for years. While in tennis, women and men have been receiving equal pay since 2007 at the highest levels, Serena Williams and Venus Williams have been voicing their opinion for equal pay in sports for years. Back in 2022, Serena reflected on the same and stated, “You just can’t expect things to change overnight.”

The tennis legend further added, “I like that people are starting to recognize that women do deserve equal pay and they deserve the same that a male gets.”

In July 2025, Venus Williams became the second-oldest woman to win a WTA Tour-level singles match. And in 2023, talking about the fight she fought before the change came in 2007, she added, “When it happened, it was almost surreal. I think there’s a part of you that — it’s sad to say — that gets so used to not having it that I just assumed we’re going to be fighting for another 20 years.” 

Venus spoke about how she posed a question to all in an off-record meeting. She said, “At that point I went into this room and I asked everyone to close their eyes. I said, ‘Now that your eyes are closed, you don’t know if that person next to you is a man or a woman, but everyone’s heart beats the same way. Would you want your daughter or your sister or your mother or your wife or a loved one that was a woman to be paid less?”

A simple question that had a strong impact on many minds. The fight of women in the athletic realm for fair pay has never been easy, and the fact that it’s still going on for several sports indeed reflects how standing at 21st-century society has a long way to go.