Billie Jean King and Rod Laver: Game changer respects game changer

"Game respects game" is a typical saying in sports, when fellow athletes share their mutual respects, but in this case, "game changer respects game changer" is more fitting. Spurred on by the great Mary Carillo in the interview which you can watch above, Billie Jean King and Rod Laver reminisce on their respective journeys and the lasting impact they made on the sport they so dearly love.

The first time King saw Laver play, she was twelve years old. The American was in awe of the Rocket’s power and athleticism. “Oh my God,” she remembers thinking. “He’s amazing.”

The same goes for Laver who also remembers the first time he saw King play. “Aggressive, everything was aggressive,” Laver remembers. “That was the thing that women didn’t do.”

King and Laver share responsibility for the global success of tennis today. “You want to be able to make a living when you have a passion,” King remarks. Both Laver’s and King’s efforts turned dreams into reality.