"Kim's so happy," said Ms. King. "She's the happiest I've ever seen her. She's in a great shape. Physcially she can keep up with Serena pretty well. I'm pretty amazined as how well she's playing. She's fit and fabulous and she's raring to go."

But...

"You have to go with Serena," she said. "Clijsters is just back for a little bit. She's getting used to the routine and getting used to the competition day in and day out. It takes time to remember what to do on critcal points--it's like you know it instead of having to think about it."

We wondered what she thought of Justine Henin's strategy about going after Serena's forehand. Ms. King said she agreed with it.

"That's what you always check," she said. "You always check with Serena if her forehand is going well or not because sometimes that's the one that breaks down on her."

Then Ms. King really started thinking it through and got a little exicted.

"The weather isn't great, it's windy, but they both hit through the ball that will help them. Just like in golf. You hit through the wind. They're both very strong and that goes in both of their favors. It's a really great match up! It probably should be the finals."

She paused.

"Women's tennis is back," she said. "The matches have been great this year and we are overdue."

We couldn't agree more.

(Some voters feel otherwise.)

What exactly did that endorsement mean to him?

"I don't think there's anybody that the public has as much trust and confidence in--her judgement," said a beaming Mr. Bloomberg. "Billie Jean knows one thing more than anything else. People. She knows tennis and how to be a great business person too, but if there is anyone who personifies the word genuine it is the person standing next to me."

Ms. King touched his arm and said, "That's so nice."

Real estate developer and Association for a Better New York chairman Bill Rudin was standing a few feet away and was snapping pictures of Bloomberg and Billie Jean King with his BlackBerry.

We wondered: Does Mr. Bloomberg have any tennis game to speak of?

He told us that, for now, he's sticking with golf. "To Billie Jean's annoyance," he said.

"Hillary can hit the ground running," she said, running in place on a stage in the middle of the Hilton ballroom. "I mean she lived there for eight years. I mean, come on!"

And later, during a “town hall” style question-and-answer portion of the event, Carolyn Maloney injected some local politics into the breakfast by asking Hillary if she’d campaign for Micah Kellner in an Upper East Side special election for the Assembly to be held tomorrow.

Hillary answered by telling Maloney (and the confused crowd) that she had already cut a robo-call for Kellner, who she then invited up to the platform to say hello.