"I don't think it's going to happen in the near future but I wish it did"
Monday 21 September 2020 13:11, UK
Billie Jean King believes that if the ATP and WTA were together they would have one voice, which would bring many benefits on and off the court.
King, who was part of the 'Original 9', a group of players who fought tirelessly to start a professional women's tennis tour, which in turn led to the creation of the WTA in 1973.
The 76-year-old has long pushed for a merger of the ATP and WTA to create one body, something Roger Federer tweeted his approval for in April.
She has watched recent developments in which world No 1 Novak Djokovic has formed a breakaway players' union with interest.
King believes the sport's various organisations should unite.
"I tried to get us together in 1968 and '70 and the men rejected us," said King. "Roger Federer brought it up not so long ago that maybe we should be together.
"I always felt if we were together we would have one voice and then it's not just what we can do on the court but what we can do for the world off the court as one. I don't think it's going to happen in the near future but I wish it did."
King added: "From a pure business point of view when you have the men and women together the tournament is worth a lot more money and I think we need to discuss that.
"The men always say they're so big about business and yet they're the ones who don't want us to be together, when we should be."
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