Hall of Fame tennis player Billie Jean King was one of the most prominent figures in women’s tennis, as she paved the way for establishing the WTA during her playing days. Her match against Bobby Riggs garnered plenty of attention from the media, as it was famously called the ‘Battle of the Sexes’. King talked about that event, as she did not want it to be a gender-related topic. Moreover, she took a dig at the ‘Superbrat’ John McEnroe for his controversial remarks on Serena Williams as well.
Billie Jean King on playing Bobby Riggs.
Billie Jean King, said, “I didn’t want to play Bobby Riggs. I hate this man-versus-women thing. I want us to be together. It gets me crazy. We can’t beat them. The top women cannot beat the top men. We never claimed we did. Ever. They keep bringing it up.“
Billie Jean King took a dig at John McEnroe for his comments on Serena Williams.
Later she slammed McEnroe for his comments on Serena Williams, as she said, “They want attention. We’re talking about John. He gets exactly what he wants. It’s attention and fear.“
What did McEnroe say about Serena?
McEnroe earlier said that Serena would “struggle to make the top 700” in men’s tennis. This statement created plenty of controversies.
Serena's reply to McEnroe's statement.
She said, “Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.”
The famous ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match.
The ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs took place in 1973 in Houston, in front of 30,472 people. Moreover, the match garnered around 90 million views on Worldwide television. In that match, the 29-year-old King beat the 55-year-old Riggs in straight sets.