Molly McElwee highlights importance of telling stories in women’s sport

Journalist Molly McElwee underscored the importance of telling stories in women’s sport during an hour-long session at the Gibraltar Literary Festival focusing on her book highlighting champions in women’s tennis.

At the Garrison Library, Ms McElwee discussed her career in sports journalism, the need for more coverage and investment in women’s sports, and what makes a champion during a conversation with Gibraltar’s UK Representative, Jonathan Scott.

Her book ‘Building Champions: Paths to Success in Women’s Tennis’ focuses on the Grand Slam champions in women’s tennis, which includes the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

She was drawn to sports journalism through a love for storytelling, and after applying for work experience, she had an opportunity to do a three-month internship at the Telegraph on their sports desk.

“Luckily, it was during the Men's World Cup in 2018, when it was in Russia and the Telegraph had sent like 11 reporters out there,” she said.

“So they had a really thin desk when I arrived.”

“It meant that they needed people to step up... and I put my hand up for everything.”

She added she was only meant to be there for three months and stayed for six years.

When the Telegraph decided to launch a women’s sport arm to the paper Ms McElwee formed part of this team of five.

When she joined the Telegraph around 4% of coverage across sports media focused on women’s sport.

She called this “abysmal”, describing how there were “so many stories to be told”.

“Not only did they need coverage, they also needed investment and I think those things go hand in hand,” she said.

The foreword in her book is written by Billie Jean King, former No1 tennis player who held the ranking in the 1960s and 1970s and has won 39 Grand Slam titles, 12 singles, 16 doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles.

Ms McElwee said Billie Jean is a trailblazer in sport and is a champion of women and equality.

The book follows the careers of the top women’s tennis players including Venus and Serena Williams, Coco Gauff, Kim Clijsters, and Emma Raducanu.

On how champions are built, Ms McElwee said they tend to have a parent or mentor from an early age to guide them in the direction of tennis.

“I think you need someone to put the faith in you, but also put the investment in you and decide that that's the path you've got to go down,” she said.

She added that champions have incredible form, resilience, and sacrifice.

Nearing the end of the session, a question posed by the audience asked why women receive the same prize money as men in Grand Slams when they play fewer sets.

“I would say that my personal view is actually that I would love for Grand Slams to be, on the women's and men's side, the same and for it to be three sets up to the court final stage and then if they want to go best of five,” Ms McElwee said.

In a further response to audience questions, Ms McElwee added that journalists can help bridge the gap in women’s sports by providing more coverage and holding organisations to account.

“Journalism has a big part to play in that, but also the governing bodies themselves, I think now we're seeing a lot of change and… public opinion sway,” she said.

“I think in part that's down to women's sport having some huge moments in the last few years, like the Lionesses obviously winning the Euros twice, and in recent months the England women's rugby team won the World Cup, and those moments helped to spur on the momentum behind women's sport.”