Billie Jean King is a world-renowned tennis player and former world number one. She won 39 major titles, including 12 singles titles, 16 women's doubles titles, and 11 mixed doubles titles. Additionally, she represented the United States in nine Wightman Cups and seven Federation Cups.
Billie Jean King is a career
Billie Jean King is one of the most successful female athletes of all time. On November 22, 1942, she was born in Long Beach. Billie Jean, a natural athlete, played softball as an infant before she began playing tennis at eleven. King started lessons with Clyde Walker as a junior tennis coach. King was known for being aggressive in the sport, and her play forced opponents into making mistakes.
Her fight for equal tennis wages
Billie Jean King was the first female professional tennis player. She was an avid advocate for gender equality, and used her tennis career as a platform to do so. Bobby Riggs (a male chauvinist) was the opponent she took on in a "Battle of the Sexes match. Riggs was a self-proclaimed male Chauvinist who wanted to prove that women's Tennis is inferior to men's. King beat Riggs in straight sets, a match in which 90 million people tuned in. King was awarded $100,000 cash prize money.
Her advocacy for gay and lesbian rights
Billie Jean King has been a symbol of American sports history. 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 uncomfortable with her sexuality even though she was 51.
Her boldest statement yet
Billie Jean King makes a bold statement that is significant for a number of reasons. It's a statement about her gender which is rarely addressed to women. The second is that it doesn't just focus on sex; it also focuses on the importance of female empowerment. Although most women are known for their looks and their marriages, some of the most prominent female celebrities have been known for their advocacy for women. Some of these women include 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. She was instrumental in establishing the Women's Tennis Association. 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 also founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative and World TeamTennis, a professional mixed-gender tennis league.