Tennis legend Billie Jean King sees progress, opportunity in women's sports and leveling the playing field

watch now18:2418:24CNBC Sport: Tennis legend Billie Jean King on women's sports and uniting tennisCNBC SportTennis legend Billie Jean King has been a fearless advocate for women's rights and women in sports since early in her career, but she said there's still work to do.King made history in 1973 when she defeated top tennis player Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes" match

Over 90 million people worldwide tuned into the match, according to BJK's official website

She also lobbied for equal prize money for men and women at the U.S

Open descends on New York City, King sat down with CNBC's Alex Sherman for a wide-ranging interview on the state of women's sports, uniting tennis across men's and women's leagues and her perspective on aging gracefully.Leveling the playing fieldGrowing up, King said her father believed in her just as much as he did in her younger brother

She said the way that men use their power is a key part of the fight for women's rights."We're taught not to ask for what we want and need

We are totally taught not to do that," she said.But King recounted examples of how women have brought real, tangible changes in the industry when they speak up.When David Stern was commissioner of the NBA, King had been sitting with him in the president's box at the U.S

After working up the courage, she said she asked Stern to mise he wouldn't let the WNBA fail

He agreed and secured the financial backing to get the league on solid footing.Similarly, King said hockey legend Kendall Coyne Schofield came to her and her wife, Ilana Kloss, to recruit their help in starting the fessional Women's Hockey League, which had its first game in 2024."I looked at her, I said, 'You have no idea how brave you are, because most girls don't have the guts to even ask.' But now we have a league because she asked

Kendall asked the question," King said.King said the male and female tennis players have been working together more and more over the years

But her goal to unite the two leagues — the ATP and the WTA — is still a work in gress."That's my prayer for the future," she said.Aging gracefullyTo King, aging just means more opportunity.She said she and her wife try to play tennis together three times per week."I've read re, you can almost — especially with tennis, it's the healthiest sport in the world — that I can almost 10 years extra, and that's what I want," she said.And while pickleball has seen a huge boost in ity over the past few years, especially among older populations, King said she's sticking with tennis."I've played it a couple of times, but I don't love the sound," she said. "As long as I can play tennis, that's where the magic is for me, when the ball hits the strings."