Billie Jean King once that if you want to be the best, you must never let anyone, anyone, know what you really feel. You see, she told me, they can't hurt you if they don't know. Concerning the qualities of a champion tennis player, King said, King's friend Elton John wrote the song “Philadelphia Freedom”, a nod to her World TeamTennis team, for King. Released New Year's Day 1975, became a number 1 hit. Charles M. Schulz, creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip, was an admirer and close friend. Schulz referred to King several times in "Peanuts" and used the comic strip to
Tennis on HBO winners. This was something that had not been done before especially by a female. Tennis on HBO Tennis on HBO is a television program produced by the premium cable television network HBO that broadcasts the main professional tennis tournaments in the United States. In 1975, HBO began airing coverage (same day, weekday coverage only) of Wimbledon and did so until 1999. In 2009, HBO broadcast the inaugural Billie Jean King Cup. In 1983, Beth Herr lost an epic match to Billie Jean King at Wimbledon 8–6 in the 3rd. Commentators on HBO Breakfast at Wimbledon made a very big deal