Billie Jean King

 

Billie Jean King(DOB Nov 22,1943)is a former US World No 1 Professional Tennis Player who have won -

 

• 12 Women's Singles Grand Slam Titles

• 16 Women's Doubles Grand Slam Titles and

• 11 Mixed Doubles Grand Slam Titles

Billy Jean King's Career Records

• Billy Jean King played 51 Grand Slam singles events from 1959 through 1983, reaching at least the SF's in 27 and at least the QF's in 40 of her attempts.

• Billy Jean King reached in her career 18 Grand Slams Finals winning 12 and was the runner-up in 6 Grand Slam singles events

• Billy Jean King became the first woman athlete to earn over US$100,000 in prize money in 1971

• In 1973, Billy Jean King became the first President of the women's players union – the Women's Tennis Association.

Billy Jean King's Career Titles

 

Women's Singles

• Australian Open in 1968

• French Open in 1972

• Wimbledon in 1966,1967,1968,1972,1973 and 1975

• US Open in 1967,1971,1972 and 1974

After 13 unsuccessful attempts to win a Grand Slam singles title from 1959 through 1965, Billy Jean King at the age of 22 finally won the first of her six singles titles at Wimbledon and the first of twelve Grand Slam singles titles overall, defeating Margaret Court in the semifinals 6–3, 6–3 and Maria Bueno  in the final

Billy Jean King won three Grand Slam singles titles in 1972, electing not to play the Australian Open despite being nearby when she played in New Zealand in late 1971

Women's Doubles

• French Open in 1972 

• Wimbledon in 1961,1962,1965,1967,1968,1970,1971,1972,1973 and 1979

• US Open in 1964,1967,1974,1978 and 1980

Mixed Doubles

• Australian Open in 1968

• French Open in 1967 and 1970

• Wimbledon in 1967,1971,1973 and 1974

• US Open in 1967,1971,1973 and 1976 

 Retirement

• Billy Jean King reached the SF's in her final appearance at 1983 Wimbledon, losing to Andrea Jaeger  6–1, 6–1 after beating Kathy Jordan in the QF's, seventh-seeded Wendy Turnbull in the fourth round, and Rosemary Casals, her longtime doubles partner, in the third round

• The final official singles match of Billy Jean King's career was a second round 7–6, 4–6, 6–4 loss to  Catherine Tanvier at the 1983 Australian Open 

• Billy Jean King retired from competitive play in singles at the end of 1983.

• Billy Jean King retired from competitive play in doubles in March 1990.In her last competitive doubles match, King and her partner,Jennifer Capriati  lost a second round match to Brenda Schultz-McCarthy and Andrea Temesvari  6–3, 6–2 at the Virginia Slims of Florida tournament. 

 Billy Jean King Advocating for Sexual Equality

• Billy Jean King campaigned for equal prize money in the men's and women's games. In 1973, the US Open became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money for men and women.

 

Awards and Honors

• In 1972 Billy Jean King was the 1st Tennis Player to be named ''Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year''and was also the 1st ever Female Athlete to receive that honor

  
  
  
  
  

   

•  In 1987 Billy Jean King was inducted into the ''International Tennis Hall of Fame''

• In 1990 'LIFE' Magazine named Billy Jean King one of the '' 100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century''

• On August 28, 2006, the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was rededicated as the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center   

  
  
  
  

   

• In 2009 Billy Jean King was awarded the ''Presidential Medal of Freedom'' 

  

   

Personal Details

• Billy Jean King married Lawrence King in Long Beach, California on September 17, 1965

• Billie Jean and Lawrence divorced in 1987.

• By 1968, King realized that she was interested in women,and in 1971, began an intimate relationship with her secretary, Marilyn Barnett. King acknowledged the relationship when it became public in a May 1981 'Palimony' lawsuit filed by Barnett, making King the first prominent professional female athlete to come out as a lesbian.