Abstract:

Maria Esther Bueno was an important Brazilian tennis player, who won the biggest and most recognized tennis tournaments in the world. The objective of this research was to understand the process that enabled Maria Esther Bueno to become a great athlete at a time of low insertion of women in competitive sport. Articles from the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de São Paulo, referring to the tennis player’s performances and published between 1950 and 1970, were analyzed. Sponsor of the tennis player at the time, the newspaper highlighted conservative and innovative aspects in the representation of a woman in a competitive environment. The research identified elements of gender disruptions in the insertion of women in sport, propagated by the athlete’s achievements and innovations in a style of play marked by competitiveness, power, efficiency and use of specialized clothing.

Keywords:
Maria Esther Bueno; Women Athletes; Gender; Tennis; Sport