Billie Jean King received well wishes on her birthday from the former First Lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton – whom she has campaigned for in the past.
Tennis legend Billie Jean King turned 79 on November 22, 2022. In her birthday acknowledgment message, the American vowed to keep pushing for equality in all sectors, as she has always done.
“Today I am 79 years young. As the new year approaches, please join me in remaining committed to equality in its many forms, and to making good trouble where it’s needed. There is much to accomplish, and I’m not done yet!” King wrote.
: USTA
Today I am 79 years young.As the new year approaches, please join me in remaining committed to equality in its many forms, and to making good trouble where it’s needed. There is much to accomplish, and I’m not done yet!📷: USTA https://t.co/T8QT4pzWBg
Hillary Clinton, who has been a huge fan and supporter of the 12-time Grand Slam winner, appreciated King’s efforts as she wished her a happy birthday.
“Amen to that. Happy birthday, dear friend!” Clinton said.
The celebrated former athlete received wishes from many fans and colleagues, including Chris Evert. The 18-time Major winner also thanked King for being an exceptional role model and mentor.
“A very Happy Birthday to Billie Jean King. So much to thank her for… so little space! Thank you for being an exceptional role model, mentor, and friend to me… You mean the world to me!” Chris Evert wrote.
The 79-year-old had a memorable birthday as she celebrated it playing tennis, followed by a cake-cutting party with her wife Ilana Kloss and loved ones.
“All of us fought like crazy back in the 70s to have some color” – Billie Jean King on Wimbledon’s all-white dress code
Wimbledon was in the news recently owing to its supposed relaxation of the all-white dress code to make things easier for menstruating women. Billie Jean King, who has always advocated for women’s rights, admitted in an interview with CNN Sports about the difficulties faced by sportswomen while adhering to the dress code.
“My generation, we always worried because we wore all white all the time. And it’s what you wear underneath that’s important for your menstrual period,” said King.
“And we’re always checking whether we’re showing. You get tense about it because the first thing we are is entertainers and you want whatever you wear to look immaculate, look great. We’re entertainers. We’re bringing it to the people,” she added.
King further revealed that she, along with her colleagues, fought for a change in the all-white code back in the 1970s and they were successful in it. However, in recent times, Wimbledon had decided to switch back to white.
“The Women’s Tennis Association, all of us fought like crazy back in the 70s to have some color and some individuality to be unique to who we are and we fought and we got it. And then just recently, they’d gone backwards to all-white,” she stated.