“Donald Trump is just like Bobby Riggs… He’s so completely self-centered and it’s never his fault" - When Billie Jean King spoke on ex-US President

Billie Jean King once didn’t hold back in her assessment of former President Donald Trump, likening him to Bobby Riggs and saying he was just as "self-centered" as Riggs. She also described Trump’s 2016 campaign against Hillary Clinton as a modern “Battle of the Sexes."

King has never shied away from expressing her views, both on and off the court. A staunch advocate for social justice, she consistently supports progressive causes, championing equality, inclusion, and rights for women and the LGBTQ+ community—and she’s been openly critical of figures like Donald Trump.

This sentiment came through again almost a decade ago when the WTA founder reflected on meeting Donald Trump at the US Open. While she enjoyed the encounter, she drew a parallel to Riggs, her opponent in the iconic 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match, where she famously emerged victorious.

"Trump is just like Bobby Riggs…He’s so completely self-centered and it’s never his fault…‘Ah, I’m such a victim, I just won’t do the next debate.’…He just goes on and on," Billie Jean King said (via Inside Tennis boss Bill Simons).

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Billie Jean King: "It is shocking that Donald Trump is president because we are going backwards"

Billie Jean King pictured with her wife Ilana Kloss at the 2022 French Open | Image Source: Getty

In 2018, Billie Jean King spoke about the challenges faced by women and LGBTQ people, especially in the US, emphasizing that every generation has to continue the fight for equality. She expressed her dismay over Donald Trump’s presidency, saying it felt like a step backwards for the country.

"Every generation has to fight for equality. You have never won. It is shocking that [Donald] Trump is president because we are going backwards. That is the way the pendulum goes and that is our fault," she said (via Big Issue).

The 12-time Grand Slam champion continued;

"But the millennials and kids today are the best generations ever about inclusion and they can make it happen. So that is my hope. They are going to nail it."

"They are going to make such progress. I wish I was that age again, because I would be rockin’! They have a chance to really make this world a better place. Better than we ever dreamed," she added.

King, a member of the LGBTQ community, has been with her partner, former professional tennis player and coach Ilana Kloss, for over 40 years. The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2018.