Billie Jean King reveals history behind Elton John song written for her during Masked Singer appearance

During her appearance on The Masked Singer, Billie Jean King revealed the fascinating backstory behind Sir Elton John's iconic song, "Philadelphia Freedom," which was written specifically for her.

King revealed herself as the Royal Hen on the show. Her stunning ensemble, meticulously crafted, left the audience in awe. The elaborate attire consisted of a black hat elegantly embellished with an orange plume, shimmering blue pants, and eye-catching purple boots adorned with vibrant red flowers.

The former World No. 1 performed the song "Philadelphia Freedom," which was written by Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, as a gesture of goodwill towards the tennis icon, who represented the Philadelphia Freedoms, a professional tennis team.

During the show, Billie Jean King unveiled the captivating story behind the song penned by the legendary singer.

She expressed her immense gratitude for having a song dedicated to her by such a renowned artist. She further disclosed that even today, visitors to Philadelphia can still hear this remarkable song being played, as it has become synonymous with the city.

"Yes, I am really lucky. Cause he said, "I wanna write you a song." And I'm like, "What? What?" And then he goes, "What are we gonna call it?" I go, "I don't know!" And he goes, "What about Philadelphia Freedom?" I go, "That would be the greatest gift to the people of Philadelphia if you would do that." And if you go to Philadelphia, everybody's still playing it. Because it's their anthem," King said.

King also took to social media to share a clip from her time on 'the Masked Singer'.

"A little history behind the song, "Philadelphia Freedom," written by the one and only @eltonofficial, which I performed last night as the Royal Hen on @MaskedSingerFOX. #TheMaskedSinger #RoyalHenMask," King posted on X (formerly Twitter).

---

Billie Jean King proposes combined Billie Jean King Cup and Davis Cup

Billie Jean King at the Women's Sports Foundation Awards

Billie Jean King has advocated for players to prioritize international team events and also expressed her desire to witness the development of a unified men's and women's international tournament, akin to a World Cup.

The men's and women's tours each host unique international team events known as the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup (BJKC), respectively. These prestigious tournaments are widely acknowledged as 'the World Cup of Tennis.'

Both events will be held next month, with the Davis Cup scheduled to take place from November 21 to 26, and the BJKC from November 7 to 12.

Billie Jean King, a 12-time singles Grand Slam champion, has expressed her strong desire to witness the unification of the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly known as the Fed Cup) and the Davis Cup, envisioning the creation of a World Cup of tennis.

"I think it's really important to have a World Cup for tennis. The whole world understands a World Cup. They know it's country versus country. I want us together, I always want the men and women together. I think we can enhance it and make more of a focus on us. I think people like it when we are all happy together," she said (via BBC).

Billie Jean King further stated that participating in team events not only helps players acquire valuable skills and knowledge but also fosters a profound sense of pride among players as they represent their respective countries at the highest level.

"This competition brings other values. You play as a team helping each other, you create this bond and you don't have that on tour. To be able to experience that, and leave the ego on the side, I think that's the most amazing feeling that you can have, so I think we need to also tell these kids that it's great to play for your country," she expressed.