Billie Jean King Quotes - Page 4

I always respect right off the bat because we are human, but then over time you learn who the person truly is, just like they learn about you. Hope it works out really well, and you hope that builds a stronger connection over time. You can't be friends with everybody.

It's really impossible for athletes to grow up. On the one hand, you're still a child, still playing a game. But on the other hand, you're a superhuman hero that everyone dreams of being. No wonder we have such a hard time understanding who we are.

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.

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.

We have, or have had women presidents or prime ministers in Liberia, Chile, Germany, Great Britain...and yet the US of A still hasn't had a women president. It's just beyond my thinking. Look at Congress.

I grew up in team sports. I think I understand the psyche of America. I think when children sign up to play, it's got to be team.

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

Marriage isn't a 50-50 proposition very often. It's more like 100-0 one moment and 0-100 the next.

Don't worry about what people say.

I got to see the best players in the world every year the week after the U.S. Nationals, which is now known as the US Open, in Los Angeles. That made a huge difference in my life.

I think one of the concerns, anytime you're in the human business, like sports, it's a very high - risk endeavor. You do have to get players every year. You have to deal with calendar. You have to deal with all kinds of things in our sport, like every sport does.

I think if you're put on a team as a child, like you are in soccer and other sports, I think the children are going to stay in the sport and have more fun if they're on a team. They want to play with their friends and have fun.

When I was playing, we didn't have to compete against everybody in the world. Now it's a truly global sport, so the competition's much greater, just like it is for our children in every other area, whether it be in science or technology or whatever you talk about.

I think it's really important to have portion control. I don't believe in losing weight quickly.

When I was outed, it was like, That's done.

Any therapist will tell you that when you're ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren't ready.

If your partner wants to be private, you have to respect that.

I knew after my first lesson what I wanted to do with my life.

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.

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.

Ask Nureyev to stop dancing, ask Sinatra to stop singing, then you can ask me to stop playing.

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

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

I like to see what future generations are thinking about.

Female athletes are stereotyped by the general population--and usually as homosexuals.