Billie Jean King entertained Centre Court fans by talking Thursday
rather than playing.

King, who won a total of 20 Wimbledon titles in singles, doubles and
mixed doubles, spoke during a rain delay of more than four hours
before the women's semifinals.

"Ever since I started tennis when I was 11 years old, I used to read
about Wimbledon, I used to dream about Wimbledon," the 61-year-old
King said in an interview from the stands that was heard over the
public address system.

"I used to have my tennis racket in bed with me at night doing
different grips and visualizing myself right out here on Centre
Court," she added.

King said she still plays tennis three times a week, in between work
she does for charities and foundations to help women in sports. She
also keeps up with women's tennis.

"It's great to see the improvement in the sport," she said.

Before King retired in 1983, she faced some of the greatest players,
including Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Margaret Court and Maria
Bueno.

"Those four players by far were above anyone else," King said.

Navratilova, 48, is playing in the doubles and mixed doubles
competition this year. Like King, Navratilova has 20 Wimbledon titles.

"Maybe I should go tie both of her feet together when she plays,"
King said with a laugh.

King won 39 Grand Slam titles overall. Her favorite at Wimbledon was
the last singles championship in 1975.

"I was very ill the whole two weeks. I had actually retired earlier
that year and I decided to play again, and my goal was to win
Wimbledon," King said.

Back then, female players didn't shriek on nearly every shot, the way
Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova did in their semifinal Thursday,
but King doesn't think today's grunters are a problem.

"I don't really care as long as they play well," she said. "I think
it started with Monica Seles. ... She felt it really helped her hit
the ball hard."

That comment prompted Seles to get up and speak to the crowd.

"I never knew that I was grunting. That was just part of my strokes,"
said Seles, who won the three other Grand Slam titles but never won
at Wimbledon. "When I go out there I focus just on the ball."

Both players talked about their memories of playing on Centre Court.

"This is a very intimate stage," King said. "I just felt like this
was home when I rounded that corner. I'll never forget it as long as
I live."

Seles, who has never officially retired but hasn't played in a Grand
Slam event since 2003, said she missed walking out onto the grass
court.

"There is no atmosphere like walking down to Centre Court," Seles
said.