- NĂ©e:
- Billie Jean Moffitt
- Born:
- November 22, 1943, Long Beach, California, U.S. (age 82)
- Founder:
- World Team Tennis
Billie Jean King
-
Who is Billie Jean King?
Billie Jean King, born November 22, 1943, is an American tennis player who rose to prominence in the late 1960s, becoming an icon in women's professional tennis. Over her career, King won 39 major titles across singles and doubles competitions.
King's achievements include a record 20 Wimbledon titles and victories in the U.S., French, and Australian Opens. After turning professional in 1968, she became the first female athlete to earn over $100,000 in a single season (1971). In 1973, she famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes." King has been inducted into the Women's Sports Hall of Fame, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the National Women's Hall of Fame.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What sport is Billie Jean King famous for?
Billie Jean King is most famous for being an American tennis player. King's influence and playing style elevated the status of womenâs professional tennis beginning in the late 1960s. Over her career, she won 39 major titles in singles and doubles competitions.
King captured a record 20 Wimbledon titles and was perhaps one of the greatest doubles players in the history of tennis, winning 27 major titles. In 1973, she beat Bobby Riggs in the highly publicized "Battle of the Sexes" match. She pushed for women players' rights and helped form a separate womenâs tour.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some of Billie Jean Kingâs major accomplishments in tennis?
Billie Jean King is an American tennis player who began elevating the status of women's professional tennis in the late 1960s. Over her career, King won 39 major titles across singles and doubles competitions. She won a record 20 Wimbledon titles and was the first woman since 1938 to sweep the U.S. and British singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles in a single year.
After turning professional in 1968, King became the first female athlete to earn over $100,000 in one season. In 1973, she defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" match, which set a record for the largest tennis audience and purse awarded at the time. King pushed for women players' rights, helped form a separate women's tour, and obtained financial backing from commercial sponsors. She was also one of the founders and the first president of the Women's Tennis Association.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why was the âBattle of the Sexesâ match important in Billie Jean Kingâs career?
The "Battle of the Sexes" match was important in Billie Jean Kingâs career because it set a record for the largest tennis audience and the largest purse awarded up to that time. King beat Bobby Riggs in the highly publicized match. After the battle, King continued her legendary tennis career with even greater visibility and became a prominent activist for womenâs rights and gay rights. In the wake of the match, King became the most prominent female athlete to come out as a lesbian at that time.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Billie Jean King help promote gender equality in sports?
Billie Jean King significantly promoted gender equality in sports, especially tennis, through her influence and playing style. After turning professional in 1968, she became the first female athlete to earn over $100,000 in one season (1971). In 1973, she famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes," which had a record-setting audience and purse, highlighting her impact and the growing interest in women's tennis.
King relentlessly advocated for women players' rights, helped establish a separate women's tour, and secured financial support from sponsors. She co-founded World TeamTennis in 1974 and became the first woman to coach professional male athletes. Moreover, King threatened to boycott the 1973 U.S. Open if male and female champions weren't paid equally, leading it to become the first major tennis tournament to offer equal prize money.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What lasting impact has Billie Jean King had on tennis and society?
Billie Jean King's impact on tennis and society is profound. Her athletic skill elevated women's professional tennis in the late 1960s, amassing 39 major titles. In 1973, she famously defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes," which had a record audience and helped to promote the women's movement.
King relentlessly fought for women players' rights, helped establish a separate women's tour, and secured commercial sponsorships. In 1981, she came out as a lesbian and became an advocate for gay rights. The USTA honored King in 2006 by renaming the National Tennis Center the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Billie Jean King (born November 22, 1943, Long Beach, California, U.S.) is an American tennis player whose influence and playing style elevated the status of womenâs professional tennis beginning in the late 1960s. In her career, she won 39 major titles, competing in both singles and doubles.
King was athletically inclined from an early age. She first attracted international attention in 1961 by winning the Wimbledon doubles championship with Karen Hantz; theirs was the youngest team to win. She went on to capture a record 20 Wimbledon titles (singles 1966â68, 1972â73, and 1975; womenâs doubles 1961â62, 1965, 1967â68, 1970â73, and 1979; mixed doubles 1967, 1971, and 1973â74), in addition to U.S. singles (1967, 1971â72, and 1974), French singles (1972), and the Australian title (1968); her Wimbledon record was tied by Martina Navratilova in 2003. She was perhaps one of the greatest doubles players in the history of tennis, winning 27 major titles. With her victories in 1967, she was the first woman since 1938 to sweep the U.S. and British singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles in a single year.
King turned professional after 1968 and became the first woman athlete to win more than $100,000 in one season (1971). In 1973 she beat the aging Bobby Riggs in a much-publicized âBattle of the Sexesâ match. The match set a record for the largest tennis audience and the largest purse awarded up to that time. She pushed relentlessly for the rights of women players, helped to form a separate womenâs tour, and obtained financial backing from commercial sponsors. She was one of the founders and the first president (1974) of the Womenâs Tennis Association.
King and her husband, Larry King (married 1965â87), were part of a group that founded World TeamTennis (WTT) in 1974. King served as the player-coach of the Philadelphia Freedoms, thus becoming one of the first women to coach professional male athletes. The WTT folded after 1978 because of financial losses, but King revived the competition in 1981. In that same year King admitted to having had a homosexual affair with her former secretary, who was suing King for material support. (Her secretary lost the lawsuit.) In so doing, King became the most prominent female athlete to have come out as a lesbian at that time, but she subsequently lost all her endorsement contracts as a result. After her divorce from Larry King, she publicly embraced her homosexuality and became an advocate for gay rights.
King retired from competitive tennis in 1984 and the same year became the first woman commissioner in professional sports in her position with the World TeamTennis League. She was inducted into the Womenâs Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, and the National Womenâs Hall of Fame in 1990. King remained active in tennis and since the mid-1990s served as coach for several Olympic and Federation Cup teams; in 2020 the Federation Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup. The United States Tennis Association honored King in August 2006, when it renamed the National Tennis Center, home of the U.S. Open, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In 2009 King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2023 King was instrumental in the founding of the Professional Womenâs Hockey League.
She published the autobiographies Billie Jean (1974; with Kim Chapin), The Autobiography of Billie Jean King (1982; with Frank Deford), and All In (2021; with Johnette Howard and Maryanne Vollers). Her other books included We Have Come a Long Way: The Story of Womenâs Tennis (1988; with Cynthia Starr) and Pressure Is a Privilege: Lessons Iâve Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (2008; with Christine Brennan).