Charles Petzold



Billie Jean King Honored

August 3, 2006
Roscoe, NY

It's been announced that the National Tennis Center in New York — the world's largest public tennis facility and the site of the U.S. Open — will be officially renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in a ceremony on August 28th.

For Billie Jean King, who's done so much for women's tennis — and hence for tennis as a whole — and so much to inspire young people, this is a spectacular honor, and I join with many others in wishing Ms. King my overflowing congratulations and a big hug.

According to today's Times (page D1), the USTA is essentially forfeiting $4 million to $5 million dollars by naming the center after a person rather than a corporate sponsor.