“I became a degenerate. I would have started drinking before noon—if I ever got up before noon,” Bill Scanlon told iconic tennis reporter Michael Mewshaw at the 1983 US Open. After turning pro in 1976, Scanlon showed great promise, beating top 10 opponents before running into a rough patch. The man who pulled him out of that rough patch was Australian coach Warren Jacques.

Under Jacques, Bill Scanlon made it all the way to the 1983 US Open semifinals. And that’s what the late tennis coach did. He didn’t just help athletes improve their game; he cared for them on and off the court. So when the legend Billie Jean King heard of the coach’s demise, she couldn’t help but recall their first meeting and the caring man she got to know over the years.

“I’m saddened to hear of the passing of tennis great Warren Jacques. When I first went to Australia in 1964, he met me at the airport in Sydney and took care of me,” Billie Jean King wrote on X. The 81-year-old wrote her story while sharing Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley’s post about the veteran coach’s demise on August 19.

“Over the years, I stayed with him and his mother and have many wonderful memories. Warren will always have a special place in my heart, and Ilana and I send our condolences to his family,” King wrote, once again highlighting how Warren Jaques went above and beyond to help athletes. However, Tileys’ post came a few days after Jaques’ passing.

Former Australian Open CEO Paul McNamee posted about Jaques’ passing on August 16. “The tennis world is in mourning with the passing of Aussie Warren Jacques at 87… Terrific player, even a better coach, and a ripper bloke who so many of us shared the best times with on the Tour,” wrote the former world No. 1 tennis star.

Billie Jean King remembered Warren Jacques, not just as a great coach but a great man. And it’s people like the late Australian tennis icon who have inspired King to do the same.

Billie Jean King continues to light the way

With the 2025 US Open right around the corner, the 81-year-old trailblazer continues to make her mark on the tennis world. On August 16, the WTA uploaded a video featuring the newly crowned Cincinnati Open champion, Iga Swiatek. So what was the occasion? The Young Reader’s Edition launch of Billie Jean King’s book Trailblazers: The Unmatched Story of Women’s Tennis.

The 24-year-old rising champion, who has already bagged the Wimbledon and Cincinnati Open titles this year, spoke about the honor of being part of the book. “I’m so proud to be included in Billie Jean’s book, among such amazing players… I hope lots of young people are going to grab a copy and be inspired by it,” the Polish tennis star said in the video.

And that’s not all. Billie Jean King continues to provide a platform for women across the world to shine on the tennis court through the Billie Jean King Cup, aka The World Cup of Tennis. King recently uploaded a video on social media to start the one-month countdown to the finals of the BJKC, which will happen in Shenzhen, China.

“Compete as a team. Win as a nation. One month until the #BJKCup Finals in Shenzhen!” read the caption. The major tournament will feature teams from Italy, China, USA, Japan, Spain, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. Top stars, including Jasmine Paolini, Naomi Osaka, Jessica Pegula, and many more, will grace the Billie Jean King Cup finals. Who knows? Maybe King might take the opportunity to honor Warren Jacques.