Legendary American athlete and 12-time Grand Slam champion Billie Jean King has been one of the trailblazers of women’s tennis in the world. Also, the 78-year-old tennis star was the first president of the Women’s Tennis Association(WTA). Most importantly, she had a massive influence on the rise of women’s tennis in today’s era.

Today, on the 8th March, the whole world is celebrating Women’s Day. On this occasion, Billie Jean King shared a powerful message to all the women in the world. 

Billie Jean King shares a message for all the women in the world

Billie Jean King has been quite active on social media, especially on Twitter. On World Women’s Day, the American legend explained the importance of women and how they impact the lives of people around them. According to her, women are the leaders, and they fight for equality, equity, and justice.

“Women are leaders for all people. Women change the game. Women use their platforms to advocate for those who need it. Women raise future leaders who believe in equity, equality, & justice. Women fight for a better world for girls & women. Happy #InternationalWomensDay!,” King said on Twitter. 

Later, she made another post and wrote, “When women lead, they lead for everyone.”

A look at Billie Jean’s career

Arguably, one of the greatest players to have ever graced the game, Billie Jean King started her professional career in 1968. During the 60s and 70s, she absolutely dominated every opponent. Remarkably, she won 39 career Grand Slam titles, including 27 doubles titles during her playing career. In 1971, she became the first female player to win $100,000 prize money in a single season.

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After her constant push for women’s tennis, in 1974, WTA was formed, and she was one of the founding members of that association. Before that, she played against Bobby Riggs in the infamous ‘Battle of the Sexes’ match, which she won. Interestingly, the match had one of the largest live audiences in the history of tennis.

Finally, in 1984, she retired from professional tennis after a tremendous career. Later, in 2020, the United States Tennis Association renamed the Federation Cup to Billie Jean King Cup in honor of the American. After retirement, King released many books, including her autobiography titled,  ‘We Have Come a Long Way: The Story of Women’s Tennis’, and many others.

Currently, King is still advocating for equality, equity, and justice for women’s tennis. Undoubtedly, her efforts as a tennis player were immense and she is still making a difference in the game.

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