Quotes by Billie Jean King

About Billie Jean King:

Billie Jean King is an American former World No. 1 professional tennis player. King won 39 Grand Slam titles, including 12 singles, 16 women's doubles, and 11 mixed doubles titles. King won the singles title at the inaugural WTA Tour Championships. King often represented the United States in the Federation Cup and the Wightman Cup. She was a member of the victorious United States team in seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. For three years, King was the United States' captain in the Federation Cup.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I always liked co-ed events best so we have two men and two women on each team.

Billie Jean King

I love to promote our sport. I love grass-roots tennis. I love coaching. I love all parts of the sport. I love the business side.

Billie Jean King

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

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

I like entrepreneurial people; I like people who take risks.

Billie Jean King

I wanted to use sports for social change.

Billie Jean King

Ever since that day when I was 11 years old, and I wasn't allowed in a photo because I wasn't wearing a tennis skirt, I knew that I wanted to change the sport.

Billie Jean King

Men can have a huge turnover of sponsorship and still survive a lot better than the women. But the women's ratings are better, at least at home in the United States than in the men's tennis.

Billie Jean King

I think it's impossible to judge whether another person should come out. You just hope they will on their own time and their own terms.

Billie Jean King

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

I like putting money back into what made my life, and tennis has been great to me.

Billie Jean King

Martina and I went through a very bad five years. Everything's very good between us now, but it was a long haul.

Billie Jean King

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

I knew after my first lesson what I wanted to do with my life.

Billie Jean King

There is no life for girls in team sports past Little League. I got into tennis when I realized this, and because I thought golf would be too slow for me, and I was too scared to swim.

Billie Jean King

I would love to be a player today. I had the right personality for it.

Billie Jean King

I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.

Billie Jean King

Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozy, and don't be afraid to hit the ball.

Billie Jean King

It is very hard to be a female leader. While it is assumed that any man, no matter how tough, has a soft side... and female leader is assumed to be one-dimensional.

Billie Jean King

Any therapist will tell you that when you're ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren't ready.

Billie Jean King

Author Bio

  • NameBillie Jean King
  • DescriptionAmerican tennis player
  • BornNovember 22, 1943
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionTennis Player; Tennis Coach
  • AwardsPresidential Medal Of Freedom; Arthur Ashe Courage Award; National Women's Hall Of Fame