It was a momentous milestone, brought about in no small part by an equally momentous champion, Billie Jean King. In 1973, the US Open became the first of the four Grand Slam tournaments to offer equal prize money to men and women competitors, a pioneering move that shook the sport and began to reshape it toward a more equitable future.
As we this year celebrate the 50th anniversary of this important US Open milestone, USOpen.org will feature a series of reflections upon other major markers of equality in tennis across this past half-century, each of which helped to nudge the sport forward toward the grand goal of a more level playing field for all. In this installment, we look back at when teeanged sensation Tracy Austin took center stage in the US Open's first night session in 1978.
A new era for the US Open—and the sport of tennis—dawned in 1978, when the tournament made its watershed move from the serene surroundings of Forest Hills to the boisterous bustle of Flushing Meadows. It was a move that allowed the growing tournament to expand and explode in popularity, a first step toward becoming the global sensation that it is today.
In the 1978 US Open women’s draw, Martina Navratilova was the top seed, with defending US Open champion Chris Evert seeded second. Two other future Hall-of Famers, Virginia Wade and Wendy Turnbull were seeded third and fourth, respectively.
But as the curtain came up on the tournament’s very first night session at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Flushing Meadows, none of those iconic stars were selected to take the stage. Instead, the spotlight shone upon a 15-year-old fast-rising star from Southern California, fifth-seeded Tracy Austin.
The choice of Austin, who, just the previous year at age 14 became the youngest player even to reach the quarters of the US Open was indicative not only of the teen’s obvious talent, but also of the tournament’s understanding of the importance of providing a showcase for the future of the sport and allow fans a prescient peek at the growing depth in the women’s game.
“I was lucky enough to play at Forest Hills with all of its wonderful tradition,” recalls Austin. “But you could see that the US Open was outgrowing that place. We heard that Flushing Meadows was going to be huge, with a big stadium, and that everything was going to be bigger and brighter. So for me to be picked at my home Slam to play on that first night was a huge honor.”
In truth, Austin seemed destined for greatness. She was featured on the cover of World Tennis magazine at the age of four, and at the age of 12, she was heralded on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the cover line, “A Star is Born.” After her run to the quarters of the 1977 US Open, she finished the year ranked No. 12 in the world. Just a couple of months before the 1978 US Open, she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.
“It really was an exciting time for tennis,” says Austin. “The tennis boom was happening and now the US Open’s growth was a part of that boom. Even though I was only 15, I fully understood the transition and what was happening. This was a new adventure, and it wasn’t lost on me that this was special.”
“This is where legends begin,” the opening night master of ceremonies Alan King told the crowd that included New York City's mayor, Ed Koch, and Louis Armstrong’s widow, Lucille.
Fittingly, sharing the opening night bill with Austin was another legend, men’s top seed Bjorn Borg, who made short work of his first-round foe in a straight-sets triumph. Austin, meanwhile, blitzed fellow American Trish Bostrom, 6-0, 6-1. But what the evening lacked in length, it made up for in breadth, as Flushing Meadows’ first night session showcased a fast-rising star—and the increasing depth of talent in an ever-more fascinating women’s game.
“It was pretty clear from her early appearances that she was going to be a champion, it was just a matter of when,” said the late CBS broadcaster Pat Summerall at the time.
The evening was indeed just a brief preview of what was to come from Austin. She raced through the opening week of the 1978 US Open without losing a set before falling to Evert in the quarterfinals. The following year, Austin—at 16 years, 8 months and 28 days—became the youngest male or female champion in US Open history, a distinction that she still holds today. And in 1981, Austin added a second US Open singles crown in Louis Armstrong Stadium to her Hall of Fame resume.
WATCH: Tracy Austin reflects on her favorite US Open memory
Reflecting on her starring role on opening night 45 years ago, Austin says, “I think any time you play at night it just feels special. As I say, it was a real honor for me, but I think it was more of what it represented; another clear indication of the tennis boom. We needed to grow and wow, grow we did."
