Serena Williams and Billie Jean King have each done more than their fair share for the sport of tennis. From their respective platforms, they have consistently advocated for what they believe to be just and equitable, particularly with regard to equal prize money and the broader rights of women in sport.
The Controversy Between Billie Jean and Serena
Yet on occasion, King’s critiques of Williams have been perceived as overly harsh-remarks to which Serena has responded with the same intensity with which they were delivered. She has never been one to hold back.
In 2019, King commented in an interview with the WTA that she believed Serena, at that stage in her career, should focus more on her game and her role as a mother to daughter Olympia, rather than on her off-court activism.
“She’s got a baby, she’s trying to help gender equity, particularly women of color,” King said. “But it makes it much harder. I would like her to put everything else aside, because she got people working on those things.”
“I wish she would just make a commitment for the next year-and-a-half to two years and say, I’m going to absolutely focus on what’s necessary for my tennis, so when I look in the mirror when I’m older then I can go back in my mind and know I gave it everything I had,” she added.
Serena’s Epic Response
True to form, Serena offered a pointed response during a press conference at Wimbledon later that same year. A reporter broached the subject, asking:
“A negative one to end on. There have been a few comments made in the last couple weeks by people like Billie Jean King that maybe you should stop being a celebrity for a year, stop fighting for equality, and just focus on the tennis. How do you respond to that?”
Serena’s reply was nothing short of iconic:
“The day I stop fighting for equality and for people that look like you and me will be the day I’m in my grave.”
Her statement came in the wake of a disappointing loss in the Wimbledon final to Simona Halep, who defeated her convincingly, 6-2, 6-2. Though Williams had demonstrated consistency throughout the tournament, she could not overcome Halep’s formidable performance in the final.
Billie Jean King’s Clarification
Following Serena’s public response, King took to her X account-formerly known as Twitter-to clarify the intent behind her original remarks, stating that her comments had been misunderstood.
“I would never ask anyone to stop fighting for equality. In everything she does, Serena shines a light on what all of us must fight for in order to achieve equality for all.”
After this clarification, it appeared that the tension between the two trailblazing figures had subsided. Throughout their careers and lives, both women have remained unwavering in their pursuit of gender equality in sport-a cause that continues to resonate today thanks in large part to their relentless advocacy.
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