18 Quotes & Sayings By Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King was born in Long Beach, California. She began playing tennis at the age of three and soon became a national champion. At the age of 14, she won the first of what would eventually be nine Grand Slam singles titles. In 1968, she became the first woman to receive a million-dollar prize from a sports body Read more

In 1972, she founded the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). In doing so, she transformed women's tennis from a sport dominated by men to a professional sport open to all women. In 1975, King made history again as one of the world's first transgender athletes when she was named Sports Illustrated's Woman of the Year.

Her notable achievements continued into her sixties – in 1984, she became the first female player to win a men's singles Grand Slam title by winning the US Open. Two years later, at the age of 51, King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

1
Tennis taught me so many lessons in life. One of the things it taught me is that every ball that comes to me, I have to make a decision. I have to accept responsibility for the consequences every time I hit a ball. Billie Jean King
2
Champions keep playing until they get it right. Billie Jean King
3
A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning. Billie Jean King
4
I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards becoming a champion. Billie Jean King
5
Champions take responsibility. When the ball is coming over the net you can be sure I want the ball. Billie Jean King
6
In 1973, women got 59 cents on the dollar; now we are getting 74 cents on the dollar. In the area of finance and business, we are at 68 cents on the dollar. Billie Jean King
7
When they take surveys of women in business, of the Fortune 500, the successful women, 80% of them, say they were in sports as a young woman. Billie Jean King
8
If your partner wants to be private, you have to respect that. Billie Jean King
9
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life. Billie Jean King
10
Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquillity. Billie Jean King
11
Sports are a microcosm of society. Billie Jean King
12
In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to accept girls and women as athletes. We had to make it okay for them to be active. Those were much scarier times for females in sports. Billie Jean King
13
I wanted to use sports for social change. Billie Jean King
14
When we reach the point where the women athletes are getting their pick of dates just as easily as the men athletes, then we've really and truly arrived. Parity at last! Billie Jean King
15
I like entrepreneurial people I like people who take risks. Billie Jean King
16
Women get the attention when we get into the men's arena, and that's sad. Billie Jean King
17
That is where the power, opportunity, and choice come from-when you have money. Money equals opportunity. There is no question. Billie Jean King