The tides of change often surge from unexpected origins in sports. One such example of this lies in the dynamic partnership between skiing legend Lindsey Vonn and tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King. Beyond tennis and alpine skiing, their stories intersected on the soccer fields of Los Angeles. Angel City FC is a game-changing force in the soccer world. The club redefines possibilities with a female-dominated ownership group that includes Julie Uhrman, Natalie Portman, and Kara Nortman. Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams‘ husband, also co-founded and invested in the club a few years ago. However, when the list was updated in 2020, some new big names made an appearance.

Tennis legend King and three-time gold medalist Vonn were among the new investors. The club’s formation in 2022 marked the league’s 11th addition, a symbol of the unstoppable momentum propelling women’s sports forward. In a recent interview that reverberates with mutual admiration, Lindsey Vonn paid homage to Billie Jean King and how her journey not only sparked transformation within tennis but ignited a movement that rippled across diverse sports, invigorating athletes like Lindsey Vonn to rally for their rights.

Lindsey Vonn on how Billie Jean King helped her against men

A recent interview with CNN captures the essence of Billie Jean King’s enduring influence. As Lindsey Vonn put it, “Billie Jean is, I think, just the epitome of what a strong woman can do in the world when working hard. She’s been just this pillar of equality”. Vonn’s admiration resonates deeply as she acknowledges King’s relentless pursuit of parity. The 50th anniversary of the US Open’s equal prize money offering marked a historic milestone, commemorating King’s indomitable efforts alongside other trailblazers who secured equity in 1973—the same year the WTA was founded. Joined by Lindsey Vonn, the ceremony reverberated with gratitude for the efforts that King and her contemporaries made.

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In an op-ed for the US Open website, Lindsey Vonn laid bare her own struggle for equality and respect. The vivid reference to King’s iconic ‘Battle of the Sexes’ against Bobby Riggs in 1973 resonates powerfully. King’s triumphant victory over Riggs, witnessed by an audience of 90 million, became a symbol of the ongoing battle for women’s equality. Vonn acknowledges King’s immense influence on her career choices and aspirations, explaining how the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ became a personal quest for her own achievements. She said, “I tried to race against the men, and Billie actually gave me some really good advice.” Vonn’s reverence for Billie Jean King’s legacy highlights how this $1 tennis pioneer served as a source of unfailing inspiration.

A $1 contract that changed Tennis

The legacy of the ‘Original Nine’ reverberates as a tribute to the trailblazing spirit that transformed the landscape of women’s tennis. On September 23, 1970, Billie Jean King, along with eight other women, affixed their signatures to a $1 contract that would become an emblem of defiance and determination. This symbolic gesture marked the inception of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and an assertion that equality in tennis was no longer negotiable.

The original nine, led by King, dared to challenge the status quo, setting the stage for a transformation that would ripple through history. Just three years after signing that pivotal contract, Billie Jean King confronted another defining moment—the famed ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match against Bobby Riggs. The courage and audacity of these women forever altered the course of history, and their contributions continue to illuminate the path forward for female athletes across the globe.

Read more: After Claiming to Be Faster Than Shaun White, Lindsey Vonn and Snowboarding Legend Back at It

In the mosaic of women’s sports, Billie Jean King and Lindsey Vonn stand united by a shared dream—to shatter ceilings, rewrite history, and inspire future generations.

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