A collection of quotes and thoughts by Billie Jean King on perseverance, practice, sports, tennis, wisdom, responsibility, decision, win, lose, motivation and life.
28 Inspiring Quotes By Billie Jean King That Will Help You Defy All Odds
Billie Jean King is a former American top-ranked tennis player and inspiring activist. She was born in a family of athletes as her father was a former basketball player and her brother played for a renowned basketball team. She was also encouraged towards sports from an early age and after playing a couple of games she started playing tennis at an early age of 11. She kicked off her professional career by winning the ‘Southern California Championship’ for her age, which helped her receive coaching from a former women’s tennis player. Initially, she lost many matches but soon came up with the first most notable victory when she collaborated with Karen Hantze Susman to win the ‘Wimbledon Women’s Doubles’. This marked the beginning of her successful career as she won various renowned championships to grab the No. 1 position on the Women’s Tennis. During this period she was a star player and one of the top-paid women athletes. This could not stop her from fighting for her low paid peers and she formed the ‘Women's Tennis Association’. This association successfully pressurized the government to match the pay of the women players to that of men. Besides that, this tennis legend has always voiced her thoughts on gender equality and social justice on various platforms. Following are some motivational and thought-provoking quotes and sayings by Billie Jean King that are sure to empower all those who are willing to break all barriers that block their way of success.
A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.
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
Be bold. If you're going to make an error, make a doozy, and don't be afraid to hit the ball.
In 1973, women got 59 cents on the dollar; now we are getting 74 cents on the dollar. In the area of finance and business, we are at 68 cents on the dollar.
Billie Jean King
It's just really important that we start celebrating our differences. Let's start tolerating first, but then we need to celebrate our differences.
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.
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.
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
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
Victory is fleeting. Losing is forever.
Billie Jean King
Women get the attention when we get into the men's arena, and that's sad.
Billie Jean King
The main thing is to care. Care very hard, even if it is only a game you are playing.
Ever since that day when I was 11 years old, and I wasn't allowed in a photo because I wasn't wearing a tennis skirt, I knew that I wanted to change the sport.
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.
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
Sometimes you have to be satisfied. You try hard enough. Don't be so self-critical; don't be so hard on yourself. (Shape your Self by M. Navratilova)
Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.
Billie Jean King
Everyone has people in their lives that are gay, lesbian or transgender or bisexual. They may not want to admit it, but I guarantee they know somebody.
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