‘Possessed a Brilliant Mind & a Trailblazing Spirit’- Billie Jean King Offers Her Condolences on the Passing of Madeleine Albright

It was a sad day in United States’ history. The country mourned as Madeleine Albright, who became the first woman to hold the position of U.S. Secretary of State, passed away yesterday. She lost the battle against cancer and her death was confirmed by her family members.

Further, dignitaries like the former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton paid their tributes to the late Madeleine Albright. Moreover, tennis legend Billie Jean King too offered her condolences to her family.

Madeleine and Billie have been symbolic figures in their respective fields. The latter changed the dynamics of women’s tennis, fighting for equality of women in the game. Furthermore, her win in the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ proved to be a turning point in her fight.

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Billie Jean King gutted on the passing away of Madeleine Albright

The American tennis legend took to social media to offer her condolences towards Madeleine’s family. She said, “I’ve had the honor of spending time with her over the years. She possessed a brilliant mind & a trailblazing spirit. My deepest sympathies go out to her loved ones.”

Madeleine Albright was hailed as ‘a champion of democracy’. She played an instrumental role in ending ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.

Earlier this year, Billie Jean King had taken to Twitter to celebrate the historical day of Madeleine’s appointment as the Secretary of State. Billie said, “Madeleine Albright became the 1st woman appointed to the Secretary of State cabinet position of the U.S. on this day in 1997. The U.S. has had 71 Secretaries of State, & just 3 have been women: Madeleine Albright, Condoleezza Rice, and Hillary Clinton.” 

Furthermore, Billie Jean King was a legendary figure in herself, inspiring the next generation of women athletes. Over her illustrious career spanning close to 25 years, she lifted 39 Grand Slam titles overall, including 12 singles titles, 16 women’s doubles titles, and 11 mixed doubles titles.

Apart from her on-court achievements, she was instrumental in forming the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973. Additionally, she also fought for equal prize money for women athletes. To honor her, the United States Tennis Association has named the stadium after her. It is called the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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