Billie Jean King was a tennis player of international renown and was once the world's number one. She won 39 major tennis titles, including 16 singles titles as well as 16 women's doubles titles. She was also a member of the United States national team, participating in seven Federation Cups as well as nine Wightman Cups.
Billie Jean King’s career
Billie Jean King was one of the most accomplished female athletes of all time. She was born in Long Beach on 22 November 1942. Billie Jean was a natural athlete. She played softball in her youth before switching to tennis when she was eleven years old. King started lessons with Clyde Walker as a junior tennis coach. King was known to be aggressive in the sport and she forced her opponents to make mistakes.
She fights for equal pay in Tennis
Billie Jean King became the first woman professional tennis player. Bobby Riggs (a male chauvinist) was the opponent she took on in a "Battle of the Sexes match. Riggs, a self-proclaimed male chauvinist, wanted to prove that women's tennis was inferior to men's. King defeated Riggs in straight sets in a match that was watched by 90 million people. King received $100,000 in prize money.
Her advocacy for gay- and lesbian equality
Billie Jean King, an American icon in sports history, is Billie Jean King. As the first openly gay woman to win the Grand Slam, she changed the face of the game. 50 million people saw her 1973 win over Bobby Riggs and it was a historic moment for female athletes. King was still not comfortable with her sexuality when she was 51.
Her first bold statement
Billie Jean King makes a bold statement that is significant for a number of reasons. It makes a statement about Billie Jean King's gender, something that is often not addressed to women. Second, it's not about sex. It is about empowerment of women. While most female celebrities are famed for their looks and marriages, the most influential ones have become renowned for their activism on behalf of women. Some examples of these women are Cybill Shepherd (Pat Nixon), Betty Friedan and others.
Her life mission
Billie Jean King made it her life's mission to empower women and girls in sport. This was achieved by her founding of the Women's Tennis Association and piloting the Virginia Slims Tour. She also campaigned for Title IX funding which ensures equal funding for women's and men's sports. She is also a pioneer in equality in sports, having been one of the first to come out as gay.
Her legacy
Billie Jean King's legacy goes beyond her tennis abilities. The American tennis star won 39 Grand Slams and is the only female athlete to make Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century. She founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, and World TeamTennis which is a professional mixed-gender league of tennis.