Billie Jean King Quotes

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Billie Jean King

Profession : Tennis Player

Birth : November 22, 1943

It is very hard to be a female leader. While it is assumed that any man, no matter how tough, has a soft side... and female leader is assumed to be one-dimensional.

Billie Jean King

They're not put on earth to be martyrs; they have to want to come out. It depends on your culture, where you work, where you live. Each person's circumstances are unique.

Billie Jean King

It's fun to meet people from throughout the world who you don't have to explain yourself to.

Billie Jean King

Women's sports is still in its infancy. The beginning of women's sports in the United States started in 1972, with the passage of Title 9 for girls to finally get athletic scholarships.

Billie Jean King

I have a lot to say, and if I'm not No. 1, I can't say it.

Billie Jean King

I will tell you King's First Law of Recognition: You never get it when you want it, and then when it comes, you get too much.

Billie Jean King

I think younger players probably just think they are who they are-they don't think about coming out. Unless you're number one in the world, nobody cares, usually.

Billie Jean King

The old boy network is still very strong and very true. Just look at the stock exchange and how many men and women are there. It is still very much run by men.

Billie Jean King

I was always in the tennis business-from 1968. I was in tournaments and also on World Team Tennis teams as well.

Billie Jean King

When we reach the point where the women athletes are getting their pick of dates just as easily as the men athletes, then we've really and truly arrived. Parity at last!

Billie Jean King

There is no life for girls in team sports past Little League. I got into tennis when I realized this, and because I thought golf would be too slow for me, and I was too scared to swim.

Billie Jean King

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

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

I always wanted to help make tennis a team sport.

Billie Jean King

I didn't really care if I had a coach that much, me personally, because I was brought up to think for myself.

Billie Jean King

Men still get a lot more opportunity. It is still a big part of the old boy network. They have more companies they can get money from.

Billie Jean King

I like entrepreneurial people; I like people who take risks.

Billie Jean King

At 62 you want to keep moving; that's important.

Billie Jean King

When they take surveys of women in business, of the Fortune 500, the successful women, 80% of them, say they were in sports as a young woman.

Billie Jean King

Martina's gone with people who don't want to be out, and it drives her crazy because she'd rather be open.

Billie Jean King