She’s launching tennis balls into the audience, or I should say,servingfacts.
Billie Jean King is a rock star, alright.
In 2020, the tournament, then known as the Federation Cup, was renamed in her honor.
Bonnie Biess/Getty Images
When it comes to Billie Jean King’s legacy, we’re just getting started.
Christiane Amanpour and Billie Jean King at the Power of Women’s Sport Summit in Malaga.
the most famous tennis match in history, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
Christiane Amanpour and Billie Jean King at the Power of Women’s Sport Summit in Malaga.
Billie was always very smart, she tells me.
Women can sweat, we can have kids, we can do anything we want to do.
And it’s not defined by gender, but we do still have a long way to go.
Arriving at court for theBattle of the Sexestennis match against Bobby Riggs, 1973
You have to fight every single day.
I mean, if you’re not alert, you go backwards.
Billie Jean King with wife Ilana Kloss.
With Bobby Riggs, 1973
No one ever realises how good she was, Billie starts.
She was ranked No.
1 in the world in doubles.
Billie Jean King with wife Ilana Kloss.
Every generation’s got to keep it moving forward.
Billie and Ilana have long pushed for equality in women’s sports.
Every generation’s got to keep it moving forward, says Billie.
Glamour’s Purpose Editor Lucy Morgan meets Billie Jean King
There’s no question; the only way you might do that is to learn the business.
That’s one of our biggest weaknesses in women’s sports.
I’m sure men’s sports didn’t have to worry about this as much as we do.
There’s a fire that you get when you’re with her.
It’s like she’s passing a torch and saying, Carry this fire with me.
And it’s exceptional to be part of something like that.
Kory Marchisotto, the Chief Marketing Officer at Elf Beauty
She also talks about never stopping.
it’s possible for you to’t ever be satisfied.
Those two things are really important.
Competing in theBattle of the Sexesagainst Bobby Riggs, 1973
That’s a huge gap, but we know the interest is there.
They are hilarious, and they just get behind everything.
But I like that.
I like their energy.
We discuss how body image can potentially deter women and girls from participating in sports.
We believe in our bodies.
We believe in our connection to our mind, body, and soul.
Because of sports, we are more resilient.
Actually, Billie starts, sports help girls to like and love their bodies, to trust their bodies.
But we were always taughtnotto trust our bodies.
I confirm that this is still very much the case.
We know much more about men’s bodies in every way, Billie continues.
We believe in our bodies.
We believe in our connection to our mind, body, and soul.
Because of sports, we are more resilient.
Just keep going, she says.
We would’ve been flattened.
Find people who do.
A version of this story was originally published in Glamour UK.
