Billie Jean King Biography | American World Champion Tennis Player

Billie Jean King

Born: November 22, 1943
Place of Birth: Long Beach, California

Major Notes:

In 1990, Billie Jean King was named "one of the 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century."
After high school, King had to work two jobs in order to attend university.
She had an athletic brother, Randi, who became a professional baseball player.
King began playing tennis at the age of 14 and she soon found the sport was dominated by men.
By 1967, King had won her first Wimbledon singles tournament as well as the US Open singles title.
The next year she married lawyer Larry King and started her professional tennis career.
King became the first woman to win $100,000 in a single season in 1971.
She continued to win many tournaments but became discouraged by the amount of prize money awarded women tennis players.
In 1973, she won a much publicized tennis match against a male tennis star, Bobby Riggs.
The match with Riggs became known as the match of the sexes and was considered a historic point in the recognition women in sports..
King became vocal in attempting to influence the prize awards given to the female players.
Moreover, she incurred the wrath of many when she publicly announced that she was gay and in 1987 was divorced.
King continued to advocate that there should be more equality in tennis and other sports.
By 1999, she was being presented awards to mark her importance in highlighting women's issues in sports.
King has won more Wimbledon tennis titles than any other player as well as numerous US Open titles.
In 2006, as a sign of the high regard she has in tennis, the US Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Billie Jean King continues to be a respected voice in tennis and serves on the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

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Major Notes:

In 1990, Billie Jean King was named "one of the 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century."

After high school, King had to work two jobs in order to attend university.

She had an athletic brother, Randi, who became a professional baseball player.

King began playing tennis at the age of 14 and she soon found the sport was dominated by men.

By 1967, King had won her first Wimbledon singles tournament as well as the US Open singles title.

The next year she married lawyer Larry King and started her professional tennis career.

King became the first woman to win $100,000 in a single season in 1971.

She continued to win many tournaments but became discouraged by the amount of prize money awarded women tennis players.

In 1973, she won a much publicized tennis match against a male tennis star, Bobby Riggs.

The match with Riggs became known as the match of the sexes and was considered a historic point in the recognition women in sports..

King became vocal in attempting to influence the prize awards given to the female players.

Moreover, she incurred the wrath of many when she publicly announced that she was gay and in 1987 was divorced.

King continued to advocate that there should be more equality in tennis and other sports.

By 1999, she was being presented awards to mark her importance in highlighting women's issues in sports.

King has won more Wimbledon tennis titles than any other player as well as numerous US Open titles.

In 2006, as a sign of the high regard she has in tennis, the US Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

Billie Jean King continues to be a respected voice in tennis and serves on the board of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.