Billie Jean King tells CNN that in 2009, when she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, she learned that President Barack Obama was a fan of hers since he was young.
"It's funny because he actually watched me practice at his high school. He told me when I met him for the first time," said King, who was visiting Hawaii at the time.
King, who has been a leader in tennis as well as an advocate for women’s rights, added that her journey has not been a simple one.
"I've stood up but I'm scared a lot. I'm really scared a lot," she said. "I felt very alone, very isolated at times but you know what—I always felt like we were trying to do the right thing then I didn't care so much what people thought."