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Billie Jean King's recent statement concerning the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict has stirred up a wave of dissatisfaction among tennis fans.
On Saturday, October 7, Hamas, a Palestinian militant organization, perpetrated a series of brutal attacks on Israel. These acts resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives. In response, Israel launched retaliatory strikes, which took thousands of lives in the Gaza Strip and left many injured.
Reacting to the news, former World No. 1 Billie Jean King took to social media to express her sorrow and concern regarding the ongoing conflict and the loss of Jewish lives in Israel.
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"The violence perpetuated by Hamas upon the people of Israel is atrocious. We must stand united to condemn these acts of terrorism, which are an affront to our humanity. My heart is with the victims and their families, along with the Jewish community. May peace prevail," King posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Tennis fans were upset by King's comments as she failed to mention the loss of Palestinian lives and her disregard for Israel's actions in Palestine over the years.
One fan took to social media to say that they did not expect a "legend" like King, who advocates for women's rights, to support the "genocide" of the Palestinian people.
"Fighting for woman’s rights and now supporting the genocide of Palestine people. The actual terrorist is Israel not Palestine. Full of hypocrisy. What a low statement from a ‘legend’," a fan posted.
Another fan expressed their disappointment and claimed to "have no respect" for Billie Jean King. Their grievance stemmed from her failure to acknowledge the tragic loss of over 500 Palestinian children's lives.
"To say this after over 500 children have been slaughtered is so ghoulish. I have no respect for you," the fan posted.
Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:
"7 of top 10 highest paid women athletes are tennis players" - Billie Jean King takes pride in sport's progress towards fair prize money distribution
Billie Jean King is one of those who protested against the unequal financial gains between men and women on the tennis circuit during her playing days.
As a result, they decided to break away and establish the Virginia Slims women's tour, an initiative that eventually evolved into the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973.
In 1971, 19 Virginia Slims tournaments were held, alongside various other events sponsored by the International Tennis Federation, including the four Grand Slam tournaments. It was at the onset of this remarkable year that King aimed to shatter the $100,000 barrier in terms of prize money earnings.
Billie Jean King started her winning streak by securing five consecutive Virginia Slims International titles. She skipped the French Open before facing a tough defeat against Evonne Goolagong in the semifinals of the Wimbledon Championships.
Undeterred, the 12-time Grand Slam champion bounced back and triumphed over Rosemary Casals in the 1971 US Open final, for which she earned a total prize money of $5,000.
Later, at the Virginia Slims International tournament, Billie Jean King did not lose a single set on her path to victory. The remarkable achievement marked her 11th title on the Virginia Slims tour, propelling her earnings to an impressive $200,000. She then claimed yet another title that year, concluding 1971 with a staggering $117,000 in prize money.
The former World No. 1 recently took to social media to recall her breakthrough year and expressed her happiness at the progress tennis has made since then. She also highlighted the fact that seven out of the world's top 10 highest-paid female athletes are now tennis players.
"52 years ago today, I won $4K in a tournament, & became the first woman athlete to earn $100K in prize money in a single year. Today, 7 of the top 10 highest paid women athletes are all tennis players (Forbes). We have come so far, but the work must go on," Billie Jean King posted on X.
