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That’s why my place in the all-time rankings means so very little to me, because I know I won’t be anybody’s number one, and it’s that same old thing: if you’re not number one, then what does it really matter?

Billie Jean King

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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Children Sports Technology
Reputation is what others think about you. What’s far more important is character, because that is what you think about yourself.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Character Important Thinking
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Art Game Moving Player Tennis
Any therapist will tell you that when you’re ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren’t ready.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Mean Ready Therapists
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Baptism Out Over Time Person Stronger Truly Work
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Experience Heterosexual Mean Quite
I always think it’s best to pretend you’re in a tenuous position. Just as a player, you always want to stay in the now and work hard but also have goals for the future.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Hard Player Thinking Work
At 62 you want to keep moving; that’s important.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Important Moving Sports
I was always in the tennis business-from 1968. I was in tournaments and also on World Team Tennis teams as well.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Business Game Team Tennis World
Champions adjust and pressure is a privilege.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Champion Pressure Privilege
I would have them do their skill drills as a team and their fun drills together as a team, then they have to have a match at the end of every week. They can’t just have what they call a lesson today every week.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Drills Match Skill The Lesson Week
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Running Sports Strong
When I was outed, it was like, That’s done.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Done Like Outed
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Numbers Player Thinking Younger
Winning comes down to who can execute under pressure.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Pressure Winning Wrestling
The main thing is not a matter of wanting to win; the main thing is being scared to lose.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Failure Matter Winning
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Character Sports Success
I always listen, I ask children, I even ask adults in tennis, “What are your children playing?” And most of the time it’s not tennis. It’s pathetic.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Adults Children Pathetic Playing Tennis
I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing towards being a champion.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Motivational Sports Success Women
People say, “Do you know how much a million dollars is?” I don’t have a clue. How many Big Macs will it buy me?
BILLIE JEAN KING

Dollars Money People
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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Cooking Generation Winning
I like putting money back into what made my life, and tennis has been great to me.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Great Made Money Sports 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.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Girl Infancy Sports
Sports are a microcosm of society. It just shows how much more competition there is in the world.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Competition Sports World
Don’t go into debt and don’t spend a lot. It’s not how much money you make, it’s how much you spend.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Debt Game Spend Tennis
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!
BILLIE JEAN KING

Athlete Men Point Reach Sports Time
When a child signs up for tennis, he or she is put on a team. I put them in a circle and then I make sure they name their own team.
BILLIE JEAN KING

Children Fun Team

That’s why my place in the all-time rankings means so very little to me, because I know I won’t be anybody’s number one, and it’s that same old thing: if you’re not number one, then what does it really matter?

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Popular Authors

That’s why my place in the all-time rankings means so very little to me, because I know I won’t be anybody’s number one, and it’s that same old thing: if you’re not number one, then what does it really matter?

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Billie Jean King Quotes