Former World No. 1 Billie Jean King picks the GOAT and it's not a member of the 'Big Three'

Former World No. 1, winner of 12 Grand Slam singles titles and founder of the WTA, Billie Jean King knows about greatness. As one of the legends of the sport, she has not only played against some of the biggest stars, but has also witnessed the talent of recent generations. So, when it comes to claiming a GOAT, King gave a clear answer and it isn’t Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal.

King, who has always defended equality, went with Serena Williams as her choice for the greatest player of all time. “I think that we have been very blessed to have Serena Williams in our sport. Great athlete, I think a lot of people think she is the GOAT, I think every generation gets better. So right now she’s the GOAT,” she told the National Bank Open’s social media team.

“I love reading about her and listening to her about how she’s evolving. She has transcended the sport way beyond the boundaries of just being an athlete,” King added. “Because of her stature, using tennis is a platform way beyond just the sport and giving back, and also making it better for women particularly women of color, it’s just the beginning for Serena,” she said.

Williams secured 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any female player in the Open Era, with only Djokovic surpassing her at 24. Her dominance wasn’t confined to the majors; she held the world No. 1 ranking for 319 weeks, including an impressive 186-week streak that tied Steffi Graf’s record.

Billie Jean King and Serena Williams during the 2014 WTA Finals (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Partnering with her sister Venus, she captured 14 Grand Slam doubles titles and earned three Olympic gold medals in the event. Additionally, she secured a gold in singles, making her the only player in tennis history to achieve a career Golden Slam in both singles and doubles. Overall, Williams won 73 WTA singles titles, including five WTA Finals championships.

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She was World No. 1, won seven Grand Slams, caused a Wimbledon ‘scandal’, and is considered one of the greats

Billie Jean King’s incredible career and legacy

Billie Jean King, a former world No. 1 tennis player from the United States, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest. Throughout her career, she amassed 39 Grand Slam titles: 12 in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles.

Beyond her on-court achievements, King was a pioneering force off the court. She founded the Women’s Tennis Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation, advocating for gender equality in sports.