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Billie Jean King WTA legend

Billie Jean King enjoys night at awards with WTA players ‘who are living our dream’


Billie Jean King founded the WTA back in 1973 and is so happy to see so many women thriving in the sport thanks in part to her work.

The 12-time singles Slam champion, 39-time Major champion and seven-time Fed Cup champion is one of the most legendary figures in the history of the sport.

Not only that, but her contribution to women’s tennis in particular in establishing the WTA during her playing career changed the face of the sport forever.

Now, King has had another of many opportunities to mix it with the players who have benefitted from her work.

“Leylah Fernandez and Sloan Stephens, two of many women tennis players who are living our dream,” King captioned an image she shared on Twitter of her with the two pros at the Sports Illustrated Awards.

Stephens, 28, won the US Open in 2017, while Fernandez, 19, burst into the tennis mainstream this year by reaching the US Open final and taking on fellow teen sensation Emma Raducanu there.

“Happy to be in the company of so many terrific athletes tonight,” reads another caption of a photo with Fernandez.

At the ceremony, King received the honour of the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.

Sports Illustrated describes the award as follows: “[this award] celebrates an individual whose dedication to the ideals of sportsmanship has spanned decades and whose career in athletics has impacted the world.”

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