I like entrepreneurial people; I like people who take risks.
BILLIE JEAN KINGEvery generation I think gets better usually [in tennis].
More Billie Jean King Quotes
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Winning is very tangible, it’s very exciting, it’s very pleasing, but it’s momentary. If you can do things that last, that each generation can build upon, then that’s when you’re cooking.
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Some people do have softer boundaries.
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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.
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When we reach the point where the women athletes are getting their pick of dates just as easily as the men athletes, then we’ve really and truly arrived. Parity at last!
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The trouble with being number one in the world – in anything- is that it takes a certain mentality to attain that position, and that is something of a driving, perfectionist attitude, so that once you do achieve number one, you don’t relax and enjoy it.
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I think younger players probably just think they are who they are-they don’t think about coming out. Unless you’re number one in the world, nobody cares, usually.
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You just know where to put the ball. You just feel it. It has been computed into your brain so many times it is there.
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It’s about learning your craft. That’s a wonderful thing–especially with today’s consumerism and instant gratification.
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Don’t worry about what people say.
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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.
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Champions keep playing until they get it right.
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The most important words that have helped me in life, when things have gone right or when things have gone wrong are ‘accept responsibility.’
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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.
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Any therapist will tell you that when you’re ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren’t ready.
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If you have one gay experience, does that mean you’re gay? If you have one heterosexual experience, does that mean you’re straight? Life doesn’t work quite so cut and dried.
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Marriage isn’t a 50-50 proposition very often. It’s more like 100-0 one moment and 0-100 the next.
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You have got to want to be the best before you can even begin to reach for that goal, and you have got to be prepared to sacrifice a lot to get there.
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It’s very important to take tennis to the people. For young people, they get to see the best in the world.
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When I’m performing at my absolute best, I think that some of the euphoria I feel must be transmitted to the audience.
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I knew after my first lesson what I wanted to do with my life.
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Winning comes down to who can execute under pressure.
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I feel that tennis is an art form that is capable of moving the players and the audience – at least a knowledgeable audience-in almost sensual ways.
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I must keep my sights on the final goal, to win, win, win-and with more love and passion than the world has ever witnessed in any performance.
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Trust and respect is something you earn, not something that is given.
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Sports are a microcosm of society.
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I like to see what future generations are thinking about.
BILLIE JEAN KING