"You continue to inspire me" - Chris Evert sends warm wishes to 'therapist & hero' Billie Jean King on her 81st birthday

Tennis legend Chris Evert extended heartfelt birthday wishes to her longtime friend and fellow tennis icon, Billie Jean King, who turned 81 on November 22, 2024. Evert highlighted the mutual respect between the two legends, with the former calling the latter her "mentor, therapist, former rival, hero, and great friend."

Evert and King have a storied history in tennis, marked by intense rivalry. Their head-to-head record stands at 26 matches, with Evert winning 19 of them. Evert became the first player to achieve the WTA World No. 1 ranking in 1975, while King's victory in the "Battle of the Sexes" match in 1973 remains one of the most iconic moments in tennis history.

Evert’s tribute to King came late in the day on November 22, 2024, but it was brimming with admiration and love. She wrote:

"Happy (late in the day) Birthday to my mentor, therapist, former rival, hero, and great friend @BillieJeanKing... You continue to amaze and inspire me..."

King responded warmly:

"Right back at you. Thank you, my friend."

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Chris Evert discusses how Billie Jean King's influence boosted her popularity on the WTA Tour

Chris Evert and Billie Jean King at the 1973 Wimbledon Championships (Image source: Getty)

In a 2022 appearance on the 'Design Matters with Debbie Millman' podcast, Chris Evert shared that during her first two years on the WTA Tour, other players avoided her due to her dominant performances and the media spotlight she was receiving.

"Because I was getting all the press. I was on the cover of Newsweek. You know, I was the 'It girl'," Evert said. "Nobody had seen a young girl do so well until then. A young school girl, an all-American girl. I was the promoter's dream, I was the sponsor's dream and the reason was that the other women professionals had done all the work to provide a professional tour for 200-300 women."

"They had provided a way to support the sport and the women. They knocked on sponsors' doors and got great sponsorships. So they did all the work and I and I kind of came right in there and started beating them. Suddenly, I was getting all the attention. So I 100% understand why they felt the way they did," she added.

Chris Evert went on to explain that Billie Jean King was the only one who wasn’t intimidated by her success. She also revealed that King held a meeting with the other players, where she emphasized Evert’s significance to the sport, which led to her eventual acceptance by the rest of the tour.