Quotes from 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.

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.

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.

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.

In the seventies we had to make it acceptable for people to accept girls and women as athletes. We had to make it okay for them to be active. Those were much scarier times for females in sports.

I used to be told if I talked about my sexuality in any way that we wouldn't have a tennis tour.

Trust and respect is something you earn, not something that is given.

I would love to be a player today. I had the right personality for it.

I love to promote our sport. I love grass-roots tennis. I love coaching. I love all parts of the sport. I love the business side.

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.

Champions keep playing until they get it right.

Tennis taught me so many lessons in life. One of the things it taught me is that every ball that comes to me, I have to make a decision. I have to accept responsibility for the consequences every time I hit a ball.

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)

Be bold if you are going to make an error make a doozy.

Men and boys will accept you more easily when you excel at something they value.

Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.

Self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.

Clyde, can you make me a champion? No, Billie Jean. But with hard work, you can.

And if you can see it, you can be it.

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.

People often ask me if I'm jealous that later generations have earned more or had it easier than we did and I always say, not on your life! My reward has been watching women athletes who are freer now to concentrate on optimum performance, rather than worrying about making a living or creating places to play.

Chrissie and Martina were the first generation of women tennis pros to who lived out the dreams my generation had about what the modern female athlete could be.

No matter how old you are when a parent dies, it's like losing an anchor that kept you safely moored.

Pressure is a privilege