Lindsay Davenport remembers the game-changing moment behind Billie Jean King's iconic "Pressure is a privilege" quote

Tennis legend Billie Jean King recently revealed the origin story of her famous quote, "Pressure is a privilege." King also discussed how she used the quote to motivate Lindsay Davenport who was struggling to beat her opponent in a crucial match.

This powerful phrase, now immortalized on a silver plaque near the entrance of Arthur Ashe Stadium (the main venue for the US Open), has inspired countless athletes for decades. But few knew the touching story behind its inception - until now.

In a video shared on her X handle, King revealed that the quote came out of her mouth spontaneously when she was the captain of the US team for the Fed Cup, which is now called the Billie Jean King Cup.

The 80-year-old was coaching Davenport in a crucial match against Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in Las Vegas in 2000. Davenport, visibly nervous and struggling to beat the Spanish star, asked King for advice.

King revealed in the video:

"I think my favorite quote is, 'Pressure is a privilege.' And I think the reason it's my favorite is what it says. I mean, it really is a privilege when you're under pressure. It means you're probably in a pretty great situation like Centre Court at Wimbledon. That's pressure. We have pressures in real life, too. It came about when I was the Fed Cup captain and we're in Las Vegas,"

"Lindsay Davenport, she's 6'3", walks up to me. She's not happy. She's all itchy. She's got to play Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. And she has trouble beating her. She's just not happy. Looks down at me because she's 6'3" and I'm looking up at her. And she goes, 'Just say something.' And I went, 'Pressure is a privilege and champions adjust.' It just came out of my mouth like that. I never even thought of it. But I loved it."

"Well, the most important thing is, Lindsay, she won the match. But when I talked to Lindsay today, in fact, I talked to her a couple of days ago, I don't think she remembers anything. But I certainly do," King added.

Davenport, who is the US team captain for the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup, reshared the post on her X handle saying that she remembers the moment very well and that it had a profound impact on her career.

"Hahaha. Of course, I remember Billie. But seriously Billie changed everything for me in believing in me when I didn’t yet believe in myself. She changed my life," Davenport wrote.

Lindsay Davenport successfully led the US team to a 3-0 win over Belgium in her first match as the US captain for the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly known as the Fed Cup).

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Lindsay Davenport made a successful debut as a US team captain at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup qualifier

Davenport, who replaced Kathy Rinaldi as the US captain in September 2023, had a strong squad to work with. She selected Caroline Dolehide, Emma Navarro, Madison Keys, Taylor Townsend and Jessica Pegula to represent the country in their 2024 qualifier against Belgium at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida on April 12 and 13.

The US team did not disappoint their captain as they swept the Belgians 3-0 in four matches. Pegula won both of her singles matches against Sofia Costulas and Hanne Vandewinkel, respectively. Vandewinkel was also defeated by Navarro in her second singles match. Keys and Townsend sealed the deal with a doubles victory over Marie Benoit and Kimberley Zimmermann.

Davenport will lead the team again in November’s Billie Jean King Cup finals which will take place in Malaga, Spain from November 13 to 20, 2024. The US team will face Team Slovakia in the first round on November 14.