What Happened to Renée Richards?
Renée Richards is an American ophthalmologist and former professional tennis player, widely recognized for her landmark 1977 legal victory that allowed her to compete as a woman in the US Open after her male-to-female transition. She continued a distinguished medical career as a strabismus surgeon and, in recent years, has expressed complex and evolving views on the participation of transgender women in competitive sports.
Quick Answer
Renée Richards is a pioneering transgender athlete and accomplished ophthalmologist. After a landmark legal battle in 1977, she became the first openly transgender woman to compete professionally in tennis, reaching the US Open doubles final. She later coached Martina Navratilova and maintained a long career as an eye surgeon, retiring from surgery in 2014 and from seeing patients in late 2023. As of 2026, she is 92 years old and has publicly articulated a nuanced stance, suggesting that trans women who have gone through male puberty should generally not compete in women's sports.
📊Key Facts
📅Complete Timeline14 events
Born Richard Raskind
Renée Richards was born Richard Raskind in New York City.
Graduated from Yale University
Graduated from Yale University, where she captained the men's tennis team.
Graduated from Medical School
Graduated from the University of Rochester Medical Center, specializing in ophthalmology.
Underwent Gender-Affirming Surgery
Underwent male-to-female gender-affirming surgery and adopted the name Renée.
Outed and Barred from US Open
Her transgender identity was publicly revealed by a local TV reporter. The USTA subsequently barred her from the US Open for refusing a mandatory genetic screening.
Won Landmark Lawsuit
The New York Supreme Court ruled in her favor, allowing her to compete as a woman in professional tennis without genetic testing.
Competed in US Open Doubles Final
Made her historic debut in the US Open as a woman, reaching the women's doubles final with Betty Ann Grubb Stuart.
Achieved Career-High Ranking
Reached her career-high singles ranking of No. 20 in the world.
Retired from Professional Tennis
Retired from the professional tennis circuit at the age of 47.
Coached Martina Navratilova
Coached tennis legend Martina Navratilova to two Wimbledon titles.
Retired from Eye Surgery
Retired from performing eye surgery at the age of 80, continuing her work in pediatric ophthalmology.
Retired from Seeing Patients
Fully retired from her ophthalmology practice, ceasing to see patients.
Published Position Paper on Trans Athletes
Authored a position paper on the eligibility of trans athletes in sports, which was later published by Sports Illustrated in 2025, outlining her belief that male puberty should generally disqualify trans women from female categories.
New Biography Released
Julie Kliegman's biography, 'Finding Renée Richards: The Groundbreaking Story of Tennis's Trans Pioneer,' is released, exploring Richards' life and evolving views.
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🔍Deep Dive Analysis
Born Richard Raskind on August 19, 1934, in New York City, Renée Richards excelled academically and athletically from a young age, captaining the Yale men's tennis team and graduating from the University of Rochester Medical Center in 1959 to become an ophthalmologist. Despite a successful early life, including marriage and fatherhood, Richards privately struggled with her gender identity for decades. In 1975, she underwent male-to-female gender-affirming surgery and adopted the name Renée, meaning 'rebirth.' Her attempt to live quietly as a woman was disrupted in 1976 when a local TV reporter outed her, leading to widespread public scrutiny.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) subsequently introduced a mandatory genetic screening (Barr body test) for all female competitors, effectively barring Richards from the 1976 US Open when she refused to take it. Richards challenged this discriminatory policy, filing a lawsuit against the USTA. On August 16, 1977, the New York Supreme Court ruled in her favor, declaring the test 'grossly unfair, discriminatory and inequitable' and affirming her right to compete as a woman. This landmark decision was a pivotal moment for transgender rights in sports, paving the way for her to play in the 1977 US Open, where she reached the women's doubles final with Betty Ann Grubb Stuart.
Richards played professionally from 1977 to 1981, achieving a career-high singles ranking of No. 20 in February 1979. After retiring from professional tennis at age 47, she transitioned into coaching, notably guiding Martina Navratilova to two Wimbledon titles in 1982 and 1983. She also resumed her distinguished medical career, becoming a leading strabismus surgeon and head of the eye-muscle clinic at the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. She authored several books, including her autobiography 'Second Serve' (1983), which was adapted into a film, and 'No Way Renée' (2007).
Richards continued her medical practice for decades, retiring from performing eye surgery in 2014 at the age of 80 and from seeing patients entirely in late 2023. As of 2026, at 92 years old, Richards remains a significant figure in discussions surrounding transgender inclusion in sports. In a 2024 position paper, later published by Sports Illustrated in 2025, she argued that having gone through male puberty should generally disqualify transgender women from competing in the female category in sports, a stance that has been widely discussed and debated. Her life and evolving perspectives are further explored in the new biography, "Finding Renée Richards: The Groundbreaking Story of Tennis's Trans Pioneer" by Julie Kliegman, released in August 2026.
What If...?
Explore alternate histories. What if Renée Richards made different choices?