The WTA is aiming to achieve equal pay on tour by 2033

The GIST: The WTA is aiming to serve up equal pay. Although men and women have earned equal prize money at tennis’ four Grand Slams since 2007, parity doesn’t exist across all tournaments…yet.

• The women’s tennis organization shared yesterday that it will revise the tournament calendar to ensure WTA athletes receive identical pay to their ATP counterparts at future top-tier events.

The details: Equal pay won’t come overnight as the tour makes sure the revisions are sustainable in the long term, with some potential changes including new player entry rules and less event overlap.

• The plan is to provide equal compensation for WTA 1000 and 500 combined tournaments by 2027 and for single-week WTA 1000 and 500 events by 2033.

The case study: As of late, increases in women athletes’ pay often coincide with support from brands: Secret donated to the USWNT to help their fair pay battle, sponsors like Google stepped in to fund the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup, and UKG financially backed the NWSL Challenge Cup.

• And while women’s tennis initially needed brand support to land equal pay, this announcement is unique because direct sponsorship money wasn’t required to make it happen.

• As the WTA approaches its 50th anniversary, the organization’s long-term success proves that a business model that continually invests in its female athletes can become financially secure enough to be its own changemaker. Only up from here.