Riggs was a hustler and did not play tennis like a man to begin with. He was what you call a touch player, he wasn’t known for any power game.
I have been playing tennis for many decades myself and I am aware of the styles, people involved and men versus women.
Then most college guys could wipe the floor with all the women except the top two or three. Male pros would destroy their female versions. That is why the William sisters IMO never took John McEnroe up on his challenge. He would wipe the floor even with these great women players.
I was a 6.0 and did play a few off the women pros to help prepare them for other women at times and I could beat them 6-0 at will.
They can’t move like men, they don’t have the power and are slow compared with males.
Riggs made a ton of money just by saying SUGAR DADDY on TV. He got $5000 every time he said that on that national TV.
Riggs was a dinker, lobber, and he often just blocked back shots to take the speed off. He just played different than anyone else but he did win a lot.
WHen they were young (16 and 17) they both took on some no-name 203-ranked player, who crushed them both.
Most women today acknowledge that they can’t beat any reasonably good professional. And they only play 3 sets instead of 5, but still insist on getting paid the same — which is fine since nobody forces the tennis tournaments to do anything.
One of these days some guy is going to realize he can make millions, and decide to identify as female for a year so he can win the U.S. Open. (I say that because I don’t think, for all their liberal policies, that France, England, or Australia are stupid enough to allow men to play in their women’s tournaments).