Tennis veteran Billy Jean King has been a fearless lawyer for women’s rights and women in sports since the beginning of his career, but he said that it is still yet to work.
King made history in 1973 when he defeated the top tennis player Bobby Rigs in the famous “Battle of the Sex” match. According to the official website of BJK, more than 90 million people worldwide participated in the match. It is the basis of the 2017 film starring Emma Stone and Steve Carryil.
Building their progress for women in the game, the king helped find the Women’s Tennis Association and became the first President. He advocated for the same prize money for men and women at the US Open, making it the first major tournament, offering the same prize money in sexes.
2025 US Open New York lands on the city, King sat down with CNBC Alex Sharman For a broader interview on women’s sports status, united tennis in men and women’s leagues and in aging from their perspective when aging.
Play the playground
Growing up, the king said that his father believed him as much as he had done in his younger brother. He said that the way men use their power are an important part of the fight for women’s rights.
“We are taught what we want and what we want is not to ask. We are not fully taught to do so,” he said.
But the king recalled examples of how women have said about real, tangible changes in the industry when they speak.
When David Stern was the Commissioner of NBA, Raja was sitting with the President in the US Open in the US Open. After working on courage, he said that he asked Stern to promise that he would not allow WNBA to fail. He agreed and obtained financial support to get the league on solid footing.
Similarly, King said that hockey legend Kendal Coin Shoffield had come to him and his wife Ilana Claus to recruit her help in starting a professional women’s hockey league, which had her first game in 2024.
“I looked at him, I said,” You don’t know how brave you are, because most girls also do not dare to ask. ” But now we have a league because he asked.
Raja said that male and female tennis players have been working more and more together for years. But his goal of uniting two leagues – ATP and WTA – is still a task.
“This is my prayer for the future,” he said.
For aging
For the king, aging means more opportunity.
He said that he and his wife try to play tennis together three times per week.
“I have read research, you can live almost – especially with tennis, this is the world’s best game – that I can live nearly 10 years additional, and that’s what I want,” she said.
On Tuesday, ride-sharing company Lift Announced that it is partnering with the king in “Silver is Gold” Campaign In an attempt to resume the conversation around the aging.
King said that the service designed for older adults, Lyft Silver is useful, as it uses large fonts, provides technical support with a living person and matches users who match vehicles that are easy. He said that it provides freedom and freedom to big adults.
And while the old population has increased rapidly Picball In the last few years as a source of exercise, the king said that he was sticking with tennis.
“I have played it one or two times, but I don’t like the sound,” he said. “As long as I can play tennis, this is the place where magic is for me, when the ball kills string.”
