Quote

Bobby Riggs was one of my heroes. I admired him. That's one of the reasons I beat him - because I respected him.

Billie Jean King

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Billie Jean King
Age: 81
Born: 1943
Born: November 22
Sports Commentator
Tennis Coach
Tennis Player
Long Beach
California
Billie Jean Moffitt
Hero
Reason
Bobby
Admired
Respected
Heroes
Beat
Reasons
Beats

More quotes by Billie Jean King

Image
Pressure is a privilege - it only comes to those who earn it.
Billie Jean King
Image
Reputation is what others think about you. What's far more important is character, because that is what you think about yourself.
Billie Jean King
Image
I have a lot to say, and if I'm not No. 1, I can't say it.
Billie Jean King
Image
As far as U.S. tennis, we need new stars coming up in the pipeline, but I don't know if we have it.
Billie Jean King
Image
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
Image
In business, everything starts with integrity. Otherwise it falls apart, though it does take time to find out who has integrity.
Billie Jean King
Image
I always think it's best to pretend you're in a tenuous position. Just as a player, you always want to stay in the now and work hard but also have goals for the future. There's no promises in any entrepreneurial business. You have to really work hard every year and also try to envision where you want to go in the future at the same time.
Billie Jean King
Image
I always liked co-ed events best so we have two men and two women on each team.
Billie Jean King
Image
Every generation I think gets better usually [in tennis].
Billie Jean King
Image
I always wanted to help make tennis a team sport.
Billie Jean King
Image
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
Image
I have often been asked whether I am a women or an athlete. The question is absurd. Men are not asked that. I am an athlete. I am a women.
Billie Jean King
Image
I think one of the concerns, anytime you're in the human business, like sports, it's a very high - risk endeavor. You do have to get players every year. You have to deal with calendar. You have to deal with all kinds of things in our sport, like every sport does.
Billie Jean King
Image
I like putting money back into what made my life, and tennis has been great to me.
Billie Jean King
Image
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
Image
I feel that tennis is an art form that is capable of moving the players and the audience - at least a knowledgeable audience-in almost sensual ways. When I'm performing at my absolute best, I think that some of the euphoria I feel must be transmitted to the audience.
Billie Jean King
Image
Some people do have softer boundaries.
Billie Jean King
Image
Don't worry about what people say.
Billie Jean King
Image
Everyone has people in their lives that are gay, lesbian or transgender or bisexual. They may not want to admit it, but I guarantee they know somebody.
Billie Jean King
Image
You want people to feel like they belong to something. And not be elitist. You don't want us to be elitist.
Billie Jean King