Printable Biography of Billie Jean King

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Billie Jean King is one of the most illustrious and celebrated tennis players in history. A trailblazer, she is famous the world over for spearheading the women's movement in tennis and for her lifelong struggle for equality in women's tennis. In 1990, Life mag­azine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century." In 1994, she was ranked No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s "Top 40 Athletes" list for her role in significantly altering and elevating sports over the last four decades. In 1997, she was honored at the White House with the presti­gious Flo Hyman Award, and she also won the "Player Who Makes a Differ­ence Award" from Family Circle.

Billie Jean won a record 20 Wimbledon titles. She was ranked No. 1 in the world five times between 1966 and 1972, and was in the Top 10 for a total of 17 years (beginning in 1960). She has had a career of firsts. In 1968, she was the first woman of the open era to sign a pro contract. In 1971, she was the first woman athlete to win more than $100,000 in any sport. She is the only woman to ever win the U.S. Open singles titles on all four surfaces on which it has been played (grass, clay, carpet, and hard courts). She is also one of only eight women to hold a singles title in each of the Grand Slam events. In 1984, she became the first female commissioner in professional sports history (for World TeamTennis), and in 1974, she became the first woman to coach a co-ed team in professional sports (the Philadelphia Freedoms of World TeamTennis).

Her many other accomplishments include winning 13 U.S. Open titles, one Australian Open title, four French Open titles, and 695 career singles victories. She was ranked in the U.S. top ten for a total of 18 years, and ranked No. 1 on the U.S. doubles list for 12 years. She currently holds the record for the most total wins in Federation Cup play, including 27 consecutive doubles matches.

In 1973, she won a "Battle of the Sexes" match, defeating Bobby Riggs in a nationally televised event at Houston’s Astrodome that still holds the record for the most people (30,472) to ever attend a single tennis match. In 1979, she teamed with Martina Navratilova to win the Wimbledon doubles title, and break the record for most career wins at Wimbledon (now 20). Billie Jean was captain of the U.S. Federation Cup Team which won the title over Spain in 1996. She also coached the U.S. Federation Cup Team in 1998, and the 1996 U.S. Olympic Women’s Tennis Team.

As one of the 20^th century’s most respected women, Billie Jean King has long been a champion for social change and equality.  King created new inroads for women in and out of sports during her legendary career and she continues to make her mark today.  Among her many accomplishments are:

• Named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20^th Century” by Life Magazine in 1990.

• Won 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles tennis titles, including a record 20 titles at Wimbledon.

• Was one of nine players who broke away from the tennis establishment and accepted $1 contracts from tennis promoter Gladys Heldman in Houston.  The revolt led to the birth of women’s professional tennis and the formation of the Virginia Slims Tour and Women’s Tennis Association.

• Empowered women and educated men when she defeated Bobby Riggs in one of the greatest moments in sports history – the Battle of the Sexes in 1973.  This match is remembered for its effect on society and its contribution to the women’s movement.

• Founded the Women’s Tennis Association (1973),  the Women’s Sports Foundation (1974), and Women’s Sports Magazine (1974).

• Co-founded World TeamTennis (1974), the groundbreaking co-ed professional tennis league and founded the World TeamTennis Recreational League, one of the most popular recreational tennis formats in the U.S.

• Ranked No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s “Top 40 Athletes” list for significantly altering or elevating sports the last four decades (1994).

• Continues to be a leader in the fight for equality and recognition in the GLBT community, and has been honored by many of the leading GLBT organizations, including the GLAAD, Lambda Legal Foundation and the San Francisco GLBT Historical Society.

• Honored on August 28, 2006, when the National, home of the U. S. Open, was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of King’s contributions to tennis, sports and society both on and off the court.  She continues to be involved with the USTA and is currently Chair of the Tennis in the Parks Committee.

• Honored on October 17, 2006, when the National Sports Museum and the Women’s Sports Foundation announced that the Billie Jean King International Women’s Sports Center, the nation’s first permanent, comprehensive museum collection dedicated to women’s sports, will be housed at the National Sports Museum when it opens in New York City in 2008.

• Serves currently on the boards of the Women’s Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.  In 2006 she received several honors including Glamour Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign and was one of the inaugural inductees into the California Hall of Fame.