Billie Jean King pleads for tennis rule change that traditionalists ‘would hate’
The iconic Billie Jean King might have been at her peak in the 1960s and 70s but the American now wants tennis to scrap a long-standing tradition. The American, who won 12 Grand Slam titles and has long campaigned for equality in her sport, remains an influential figure in her sport. And it’s no longer…
The iconic Billie Jean King might have been at her peak in the 1960s and 70s but the American now wants tennis to scrap a long-standing tradition. The American, who won 12 Grand Slam titles and has long campaigned for equality in her sport, remains an influential figure in her sport.
And it’s no longer her own generation if players or fans that appear her primary concern.
Instead, King has called for the tennis scoring system to be simplified in order to help the game appeal more to youngsters.
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“I want to make it easy for fans,” she told the BBC. “I want it to be one, two, three, four. Not 15-0, 30-0. I mean, if I’m a kid, say I didn’t come from tennis, I’m like what the heck does that mean?
When told that “traditionalists would hate to hear you say that,” the 80-year-old accepted her idea was a divisive one. “Oh no, they don’t agree with me at all and I appreciate that,” she replied.
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“But when you think of the average fan that we have what’s their age? And if we want to get eight, nine, 10, 11, 12-year-old children involved in our sport, we have to make to accessible to them. Not to a 60-year-old or 55-year-old fan….we have to grow the sport.”
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King salutes the crowd at the US Open this year. (Image: Getty)
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It’s not the only alteration she wants to see in the professional game, also calling for tennis to mimic football. “I personally would like to see names and numbers on the back of shirts, in tennis, not just in team sports,” she added.
The origins of the current game scoring system are believed to date back to medieval times in France. Under Inited States Tennis Association rules, King’s suggestion can be implemented, in particular with matches involving an inexperienced or non-English speaking player.
However, the regulation is not recognised by the International Tennis Federation. And King’s proposal would no doubt split opinion if put forward by the game’s authorities.
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Her comments come at a time when the former world No.1s name is firmly in the spotlight. The Billie Jean King Cup Finals are currently being played in Malaga, with Team GB having won through to the quarter-final on Friday by beating Germany.
The competition was previously called the Fed Cup, but the name was changed to honour the legendary King in 2020. It is considered the female equivalent of the men’s Davis Cup.
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