King Celebrates Birthday With John And Other Tennis Friends

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 8th October 2013

King Celebrates Birthday With John And Other Tennis Friends

epa00804095 US tennis great Billie Jean King reacts to the crowd during the opening ceremony, re-dedicating the USTA National Tennis Center in Billie Jean King's name, in Arthur Ashe Stadium on the first day of the 2006 US Open Tennis Tournament in Flushing Meadows, New York, Monday 28 August 2006. EPA/CLIVE BRUNSKILL - POOL |

Billie Jean King celebrated her 70th birthday last weekend at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas with her close friend Elton John, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf among the 200 attendees.

King is celebrating a huge milestone this year: her birthday, as well as the 40th year since the Battle of the Sexes, where King bested tennis ultimate gambler, Bobby Riggs, and her involvement in the founding of the WTA.

John played a show at The Coliseum, which is based at Caesars Palace, and dedicated his famous song “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” to King.

According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, at King’s party later, John described King as “the sister I never had.” John helped write the song “Philadelphia Freedom” in King’s honor during the first years of World Team Tennis when she when she played for the Philadelphia Freedoms.

Among those attending her birthday party were King’s partner Ilana Kloss, as well tennis’ Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport, Rosie Casals, Pam Shriver Bud Collins, Mary Carillo, WTA CEO Stacey Allaster, former WTA chief and now Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott and ABC’s “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts, who used to work for ESPN.

King and Kloss hosted a round robin at the Las Vegas Country Club on Saturday. King won’t actually turn 70 until next month.

Topics: 10sballs, Andre Agassi, Billie Jean King, Lindsay Davenport, Sports, Steffi Graf, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta