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Tennis

Catching Up With Billie Jean King

Posted Feb 09, 2009 5:00AM By Ted Starkey (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Media Watch, WTA, Billie Jean King Cup

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Even though tennis icon Billie Jean King turned 65 just last November, that doesn't mean she's ready to head off into retirement.

On the contrary, King's as visible in the public eye as ever, helping to promote the Billie Jean King Cup -- a one-night only event that will be held on March 2 at Madison Square Garden that will feature four of the top women's players in the world and televised on HBO -- as well as her appearances in numerous commercials and her involvement in promoting the game and World Team Tennis.

And, she isn't shy about telling you what she thinks of today's game.


For anyone thinking she'd rather live in the past, she makes no bones about how today's players are much better than her generation.

"They're a lot better today, every generation just gets better," King said. "Older athletes talk about the glory days, but we're not the best ever.

"It's amazing the spins and what they can get on the ball. Everything's more exaggerated than ever before. They're so good, they train better, and the information available is better than anything than what we had. It'd be great to be a player today. It's great to have choices when you have money and resources."

She even comments how while players struggled to keep their racket strings in playing shape, today's players have no problems just ripping them out and replacing them -- thanks to the resources they have at their disposal.

One complaint she does have about today's game is the "Q factor" that's now involved on the women's side of the game, that style bleeds through more than substance in the media.

"Here's what happens with women's athletes today - their accomplishments aren't talked about enough. They are what they are, but if you succeed on the court that'll eventually take care of itself."


She also weighs in on the state of tennis in the United States, particularly on the men's side.

"We have a good young group of guys right now, but it's just no one's broken through to become No. 1 in the world. But it's a lot harder now than it was then because now you're competing with the rest of the world.

"We don't have as many tournaments played [in the U.S.] anymore. ... but junior rackets are way up, we've more than doubled the number of players in the last few years, and it's the only traditional sport that's currently growing.

"Everyone's trying to pull together, and the last few years, we're starting to do that."

As part of that goal, the tournament featuring three of the four defending women's Grand Slam champions -- Australian Open and U.S. Open champion Serena Williams, Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, French Open champ Ana Ivanovic, along with U.S. Open runner-up Jelena Jankovic -- is being held in conjunction with "Tennis Night in America," an event aimed at signing up youngsters to play the game.

And with the four vying for a trophy named after King -- "that wasn't my idea" she says with a laugh -- she hopes the $1.2 million purse and the game's return to HBO for the first time in nine years will help sign up new players and expose them to tennis.

"To have these great athletes and tennis players in one event is great, and two players [Jankovic and Ivanovic] that people haven't seen as much. Venus is playing great, she's doing great, despite what she says - it always cracks me up when she says she isn't playing well, and she's simply terrific."

"It's pretty exciting, and people should appreciate these athletes - they're great.

"Jankovic so fantastic with the media. She's fun. I can give her a hard time, and she just laughs at herself. She was saying it was such a privilege to be No. 1. If Serena and Venus would play more they'd have it regularly.

"Ana probably replaces Gabriela Sabatini, because she's a popular one now. She's talented, I but don't want to talk about looks."


""They're coming out to play in this tournament, it's amazing."

As for which players draw her attention now, she mentioned that two American stars were who she wanted to see play.

"I'm prejudiced, I do text message a lot of the boys. Andy Roddick's doing better, so I'm happy for him.

"Really, I'm interested in all of them. If you asked me about the player with the best ability that I'd want to watch, it'd be Serena, especially with her success at the Australian Open."

King's also excited about bringing this event to her adopted hometown of New York, particularly to the "World's Most Famous Arena."

"There's a narrow focus here, and New Yorkers get pumped up for events. We're going to go out for one night and it's going to be great. Spike Lee and John McEnroe are going to come out, and he's going to do commentary on the broadcast."

And, for King herself, she stays busy, and gets recognized for everything from her recent car insurance ad spoofing the 1973's "Battle of the Sexes" match with Bobby Riggs to a 36-year-old cameo on a sitcom.

"I was walking down the street the other day, and someone yelled 'Hey Billie Jean, I saw you on the The Odd Couple last night!' All thanks to TV Land."

"I'm very fortunate. It's very nice."

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Greg Couch

Greg CouchGreg Couch is a national columnist and award-winning tennis writer for FanHouse.com. A former ranked amateur tennis player, who dabbled in a few pro tournaments, he came to FanHouse after 12 years at the Chicago Sun-Times. "The best tennis writer in America," according to Jason Whitlock, national columnist and guest host of the Jim Rome radio show.

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