Sally Jenkins Clinches Prestigious Awards for Outstanding Sports Journalism
Renowned sportswriter Sally Jenkins receives two major accolades for her exceptional coverage of women's sports and tennis legends. Her powerful storytelling and insightful commentary earn high praise from judges.
Esteemed sportswriter Sally Jenkins has been honored with two significant awards, recognizing her outstanding contributions to sports journalism, particularly in women's sports coverage. The accolades highlight her exceptional storytelling and insightful commentary on various sports topics.
The inaugural Billie Jean King Award for Excellence in Women's Sports Coverage has been bestowed upon Jenkins for her remarkable work in 2023. This prestigious award, named after the legendary tennis player who won 39 Grand Slam titles, acknowledges Jenkins' significant impact on women's sports reporting.
Jenkins' award-winning portfolio showcased her versatility and depth in sports journalism. It included a captivating profile of tennis icons Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, whose rivalry and friendship have been pivotal in tennis history. Evert and Navratilova, each boasting 18 Grand Slam singles titles, have left an indelible mark on the sport.
The judges praised Jenkins' work, stating:
"This portfolio has everything you would expect from Sally Jenkins — powerful features, thoughtful commentary and unanticipated gems, all beautifully told. Her unforgettable story on Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova — friends, rivals and survivors — draws you in with descriptive writing that is classic Jenkins: There is an audible rhythm to a Grand Slam tennis tournament, a thwock-tock, tock-thwock of strokes, like beats per minute, that steadily grows fainter as the field diminishes."
In addition to her profile on tennis legends, Jenkins penned compelling columns on various topics, including:
- Women who spoke out against former Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder
- The FIFA Women's World Cup, a major international football competition
- The Women's Final Four, the pinnacle of NCAA Division I Women's Basketball
Further cementing her status as a top-tier sportswriter, Jenkins also received the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting. This award, presented by The Center for Sports Communication & Media (CSCM) at the University of Texas, recognized her feature on Evert and Navratilova.
Dr. Michael Butterworth, CSCM Director, commended Jenkins' achievement:
"With this award, Sally Jenkins becomes the first writer to win both the Lifetime Achievement and Best Sportswriting medals. Her winning feature is something only Jenkins could have captured. It is an intimate portrayal of Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, the tennis legends who defined their sport for a generation. Jenkins evokes the depths of the Evert-Navratilova rivalry and friendship in a way that resonates for readers well beyond the tennis court. It is an exceptional accomplishment, clearly deserving of this year's Best Sportswriting medal."
Jenkins' dual recognition underscores the importance of quality sports journalism in promoting and covering women's sports. Her work exemplifies the power of storytelling in bringing athletes' experiences to life and engaging readers beyond the realm of sports enthusiasts.
The Billie Jean King Award will be presented to Jenkins during the upcoming U.S. Open Tennis Championships in New York, one of the four prestigious Grand Slam tournaments in tennis.
