"Their bravery sets the standard for others" - Billie Jean King voices support for Jenni Hermoso & teammates after Luis Rubiales' non-consensual kiss

Legendary former tennis player Billie Jean King has shown support for Jenni Hermoso and her teammates.

The members of Spain's women's football team recently said they wouldn't play for the national side until Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales was sanctioned. Rubiales has refused to resign after kissing forward Hermoso on the lips during the trophy ceremony following Spain's Women's World Cup final win over England in Sydney, on August 20.

Rubiales has since claimed the kiss was consensual, but Hermoso released a statement saying that it wasn't.

In the meantime, the Spanish government has started legal proceedings seeking to suspend the 46-year-old. FIFA has launched its own disciplinary proceedings and 81 players have confirmed they will not play for Spain's women's team until Rubiales is removed from his post.

In that context, tennis legend Billie Jean King has supported the players publicly on social media.

"The unity displayed by the members of the Spanish national team both on the field and off is to be applauded," Billie Jean King wrote.

"Voices joined together are harder to ignore, and their bravery sets the standard for others to follow," the 79-year-old added.

As per Hermoso's public statement after the incident, Rubiales' claim that the kiss was consensual is false.

"I want to make clear that at no time did the conversation to which Mr Luis Rubiales refers to in his address take place and, above all, was his kiss ever consensual," Hermoso wrote on social media.

She added that she was put "under continuous pressure" to help with a "statement that could justify" Rubiales' actions, as were her family, friends, and teammates.

The matter is expected to see a resolution by September 22, when Spain takes on Sweden in the Nations League. If Rubiales is still in his post by that time, the match might not happen at all.

---

"Carlos Alcaraz will be the greatest ever" - Billie Jean King

Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon 2023

Billie Jean King thinks that Carlos Alcaraz will be the greatest tennis player of all time (GOAT) if he doesn't get injured too much.

In an interview with Sky Sports, the former World No. 1 talked about the current state of men's tennis.

"The men have been totally spooled with Federer and Nadal and Djokovic," King said. "Djokovic is probably going to end up as the greatest (of those three) as I think he is going to keep winning Grand Slams."

Overtaking Djokovic, who currently has 23 Grand Slam titles, will be extremely tough, but the legendary American thinks it's possible for Alcaraz.

"Then you have Alcaraz, who I adore. I first saw him when he was 18 and I said, I will say now, he is going to be the greatest ever, unless he gets hurt," Billie Jean King said.