Billie Jean King Says Serena Has A Special ‘Magic’ That Makes Her The Best Of All Time

Tennis legend Billie Jean King has always been outspoken about women in sports and about how high-profile women can help each other.

And now that fellow trailblazer Serena Williams has played her last match as a professional, King says that Williams’ largesse as a sports titan rivals that of Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. King also says that it is what sparked the huge crowds and heightened enthusiasm seen at the U.S. Open last week.

“If you were there live (during Serena’s matches), it was berserk. I have never ever seen it like it is now,” King said during our September 2 interview via Zoom, prior to Serena Williams’ primetime match. “She’s got that magic that draws people in. And she thrives on the crowd.”

During the first round at the U.S. Open on August 29, Serena Williams beat Danka Kovinić in two straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, and then followed that up with an August 31 three-set victory over WTA world No. 2-ranked Anett Kontaveit of Estonia.

Yet, by the third round of the U.S. Open, Williams would play her final match. On Friday, Sep 2, Williams lost a contentious three-set matchup against Ajla Tomljanović of Australia, 7-5, 6-7, 6-1.

With 23-time Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals to her name, Serena Williams reigns supreme among women in sports, King said, as well as among the best athletes. The 78-year-old Hall of Fame player also stated that what the 40-year-old Williams has done for women is immeasurable.

“We forget that Serena won her first singles title way back in ‘99 when she was 17 years old,” King said of Williams, who went pro in October 1995. “So, she’s been on the scene for a long, long time, and she’s done a lot for women. Plus, she has always wanted to give back to women, especially to women of color.”

Serena’s impact on and off-court

Along with Williams’ long run of success on the court, in a career that has stretched almost three decades, King said that it’s not just Serena’s 858 singles wins or longevity that makes her a special one.

“Serena has made such an impression on younger generations,” King said. “But people of my generation love her too, because she added so much to the game in the way she plays.”

King points to Williams’ physical strength, her stamina, and her on-court assets as a tennis player.

“Serena has the best serve—the most beautiful serve in the entire world. Ever, ever ever. She’s had it since she was 6.” King thinks that Williams’ dominant serve is not simply a tactic but part of an overall world-class strategy.

VIDEO: Loud crowd Serena’s first-round, 2022 U.S. Open

“That serve has won a lot of matches for her. A lot of times if she’s down 15-40 or 30-40, she can throw in an ace or a near-ace, which keeps her in the match. (Pete) Sampras and I used to talk about her serve. That’s a huge difference to have (on the court), since a lot of players don’t have that luxury.”

In December 2015, Williams was named Sports Illustrated magazine’s Sportsperson of the Year. The next year, Williams was cited as the world’s highest-paid female athlete in 2016 by Forbes, after earning almost $29 million. She was also the only woman on Forbes’ 2017 list of the 100 highest-paid athletes, with $27 million that year in prize money as well as a long list of endorsements from sponsors in nearly every industry, from IntelINTC
and IBMIBM
to Gatorade, Chase Bank and Beats By Dre.

Off the court, Williams has always been involved in charity-related efforts. Along with her sister, Venus Williams, Serena Williams has raised money to build schools in the U.S., Jamaica, and Kenya, and also raised funds to help earthquake victim communities in Haiti.

Additionally, Serena has been an outspoken voice for equality, as a supporter of both Black Lives Matter and the LBGTQ community. Her husband, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, has followed her lead and been equally as supportive of her favorite causes. For example, the pair donated $1 million contribution to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp and have spearheaded several more philanthropic works and environmental/climate efforts through Ohanian’s 776 Foundation.

As King puts it, “Serena’s someone who always evolved as a player and some who keeps evolving as a person. And I’m excited to see what’s next and the second half of her career and life.”

King: Successful women make the difference

Billie Jean King is no stranger herself to activism and pushing for change. Most recently King has partnered once again with spirits maker Johnnie Walker on “First Strides,” a new initiative established to enable women to close the gender gap in leadership positions across sports and business.

“I’ve been around for a long time, and I always tell women of the next generation they have to lead,” King said. “We have to pass the baton on to younger generations of women, but there’s been a lot of progress for women to be proud of.”

King cites the strides made in sports by women during the 50 years since the establishment of Title IX, as well as the election of Kamala Harris as the first woman Vice President of the United States. But the millions of women involved in small business ventures are close to her heart too.

“There are so many women entrepreneurs. Funding, supporting and championing entrepreneurs is so important, and its why I’m joining up with First Strides.”

Specifically, First Strides offers grants to up-and-coming innovators in various fields, teaming Johnnie Walker up with IFundWomen, the go-to funding marketplace for women-owned businesses. IFundWomen’s mission is to develop and fund $1 million in grants for women-owned businesses by 2030.

There is also a public service initiative called She Should Run, put in place to encourage women to serve in leadership positions and run for public office. She Should Run has put forth the goal of inspiring 250,000 women to take their first steps toward public leadership by 2030.

As a part of the overall effort, First Strides has begun putting up a series of billboards quoting Billie Jean King and the many statements she has made publicly in support of equality and social change.

“Leadership and diversity are important initiatives, and I’m glad that First Strides and Johnnie Walker see the importance of celebrating it.”

But King is also quick to point out that Serena Williams has been doing her part for women entrepreneurs.

“Serena wants to help women too, and she’s had Serena Ventures in place for a 8 years now,” King said. Serena Ventures is an institution that primarily funds startup businesses in sectors like education technology, fin-tech, climate science, and NFTs.

“Traditionally, women are taught not to follow the money,” King added. “But we’re trying to get everyone involved in raising money, supporting entrepreneurs, and to keep pushing forward.”

Read Frye’s recent interviews with Jennie Finch and Coco Gauff.

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