By MELISSA MURPHY AP Sports Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams could send a thank-you note to Billie Jean King and eight other players who signed $1 contracts to launch a new women's pro tennis circuit 50 years ago. The bold move by King and her peers, known as the 'Original 9,' led to the lucrative prize funds and multimillion-dollar endorsement deals enjoyed by top women today. They were tired of second-class treatment at tournaments. They'd been squeezed out of events by promoters and were paid substantially less than men. So the Original 9 broke with the tennis establishment […]
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