Billie Jean King

Visionary. Innovator. Champion.

Billie Jean King has long been a champion for social change. A one of the most illustrious and celebrated athletes in history, King is recognized for spearheading the women's movement in tennis and for her life-long pursuit of equal rights and opportunities for girls and boys. King 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.

In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century". In 1994, she ranked No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s “Top 40 Athletes” list for significantly altering or elevating sports the last four decades.

On the court, King left a lasting and indelible mark. She won 39 Grand Slams, including a record 20 Wimbledon titles. King is the only woman to win U.S. Open singles titles on all 4 surfaces on which it has been played (grass, clay, carpet, hard).

King has had a long and impressive career of firsts. In 1970, she 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 lead to the formation of the Virginia Slims Tour and Women’s Tennis Association. In 1971, she was the first woman athlete to win more than $100,000 in any sport. In 1974 she became the first woman to coach a professional team with men when she served as player/coach for the Philadelphia Freedoms of World TeamTennis.

King founded the Women’s Tennis Association in 1973, the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974 and womenSports Magazine in 1974. She also co-founded World TeamTennis in 1974.

One of King’s biggest honors in tennis came on August 28, 2006, when the National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, in honor of her contributions to tennis, sports and society both on and off the court. King was honored once again in October 2006 when the Sports Museum of America and the Women’s Sports Foundation announced that the Billie Jean King International Women’s Sports Center, the nation’s first permanent, comprehensive museum dedicated to women’s sports, will be housed at the Sports Museum of America when it opens in New York City in 2008.

Off the court, King remains active in a number of important causes. She serves on the boards of the Women’s Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. She currently chairs the Tennis in the Parks Committee of the USTA. She recently announced an environmental initiative, GreenSlam, which is a challenge to the sports industry, fans and participants to get proactive about going green. King is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the National Women's Hall of Fame.

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