In a push for prize money equal to the men, the tour for 15 years made its format more taxing. ‘We wanted the world to know that we weren’t wilting flowers,’ Martina Navratilova said.

Social media abuse from gamblers and bettors has been a growing issue in sports, with women's tennis being a notable example.

Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked player in women’s professional tennis, will face men's No. 652 Nick Kyrgios in a match touted as the fourth Battle of the Sexes in the sport’s history.