Billie Jean King facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Billie Jean King
King in 2026 at the Sundance Film Festival
Born	Billie Jean Moffitt (1943-11-22) November 22, 1943 (age 82) Long Beach, California, US
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Spouse(s)	Larry W. King (married 1965; divorced 1987) Ilana Kloss (married 2018)
Tennis career
Country (sports)	United States
Turned pro	1968
Retired	1990
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
College	California State University, Los Angeles
Prize money	$1,966,487
Int. Tennis HoF	1987 (member page)
Singles
Career record	1124–262 (81.1%)
Career titles	129 (67 during Open Era)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1966, Lance Tingay)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	W (1968)
French Open	W (1972)
Wimbledon	W (1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975)
US Open	W (1967, 1971, 1972, 1974)
Doubles
Career record	87–37 (as shown on WTA website)
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1967)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (1965, 1969)
French Open	W (1972)
Wimbledon	W (1961, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1979)
US Open	W (1964, 1967, 1974, 1978, 1980)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour Finals	W (1974, 1976, 1978, 1980)
Mixed doubles
Career titles	11
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	W (1968)
French Open	W (1967, 1970)
Wimbledon	W (1967, 1971, 1973, 1974)
US Open	W (1967, 1971, 1973, 1976)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (1963, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979) (as player) W (1976, 1996, 1999, 2000) (as captain)
Coaching career
Tim Mayotte Martina Navratilova

Billie Jean King (born November 22, 1943) is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. She is also known as BJK. King won an amazing 39 Grand Slam titles. These included 12 in singles, 16 in women's doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles. She was a key player for the United States team. She helped them win seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups.

King is a strong supporter of gender equality. She has always worked for fairness and social justice. In 1973, at age 29, she famously won the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match. She played against 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. King also started the Women's Tennis Association and the Women's Sports Foundation. She helped convince the cigarette brand Virginia Slims to sponsor women's tennis in the 1970s.

King was welcomed into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987. She received the Fed Cup Award of Excellence in 2010. In 1972, she was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. She was also one of Time Persons of the Year in 1975. She has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2006, the USTA National Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. In 2020, the Federation Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup in her honor. In 2024, she received a Congressional Gold Medal.

Billie Jean King's Early Life

Billie Jean Moffitt was born in Long Beach, California. Her family was Methodist. Her mother, Betty, was a housewife. Her father, Bill Moffitt, was a firefighter. Her family loved sports. Her mother was a great swimmer. Her father played basketball and baseball. Her younger brother, Randy Moffitt, became a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for 12 years.

As a child, Billie Jean was very good at baseball and softball. At 10 years old, she played shortstop on a team with older girls. Her team won the Long Beach softball championship.

She switched from softball to tennis when she was 11. Her parents thought tennis was a more "ladylike" sport. She saved $8 (about $92 today) to buy her first racket. She took free lessons at public courts in Long Beach. One of these tennis centers is now named the Billie Jean Moffitt King Tennis Center. When she was young, she once couldn't be in a group picture at a tournament. This was because she wore tennis shorts, not the usual white dress. This was an early sign of her challenging old rules.

When Billie Jean was 13 or 14, her minister, Bob Richards, asked her about her future. She told him, "Reverend, I'm going to be the best tennis player in the world."

King went to Long Beach Polytechnic High School. After graduating in 1961, she attended Los Angeles State College. This is now California State University, Los Angeles. She left school in 1964 to focus on tennis. She later returned in 2025 to finish her degree. While at Cal State, she met Larry King in 1963. They got engaged when she was 20 and he was 19. They married on September 17, 1965, in Long Beach.

Billie Jean King's Amazing Tennis Career

Billie Jean Moffitt (later King) in the 1960s at the Irish Open at Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, Dublin, where she won her first international title

Billie Jean King achieved many great things in tennis. Her French Open win in 1972 was special. It made her only the fifth woman to win singles titles at all four Grand Slam events. This is called a "career Grand Slam." She also won a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. Only the Australian Open women's doubles title was missing from her collection.

King won a record 20 titles at Wimbledon. These included six in singles, 10 in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. She played in 51 Grand Slam singles events from 1959 to 1983. She reached at least the semi-finals in 27 of them. She made it to the quarterfinals in 40 attempts. King was known for her mental strength. She had a great record in tough, tied third sets.

King won 129 singles titles in total. 78 of these were WTA titles. Her career prize money was nearly $2 million. She helped the United States win the Federation Cup seven times. Her record in these matches was 52 wins and only 4 losses. She also had a strong record in the Wightman Cup.

Starting Her Tennis Journey: 1959-1965

Billie Jean King started competing in 1959. She worked with coaches like Frank Brennan and Alice Marble. Marble had won 18 Grand Slam titles herself. King made her Grand Slam debut at the 1959 U.S. Championships at age 15. She won her first tournament in 1960 in Philadelphia. Sports Illustrated called her "one of the most promising youngsters." Her national ranking quickly improved.

King gained international attention in 1961. She traveled to Wimbledon and won the women's doubles title. She partnered with Karen Hantze. They were the youngest team to win that title. In 1962, King surprised the tennis world. She beat Margaret Court, the World No. 1, at Wimbledon. This was a big upset. King and Hantze won the Wimbledon doubles title again that year. In 1963, King reached the Wimbledon final but lost to Margaret Court.

By 1964, King decided to play tennis full-time. She trained in Australia with coach Mervyn Rose. In 1965, she continued to play well. She reached the semi-finals of the Australian Championships and Wimbledon. At the U.S. Championships final, she lost to Margaret Court. This loss made her even more determined. She felt she was "good enough to be the best in the world."

Dominating the Courts: 1966-1975

The United States national team in Turin, Italy, holding the Federations Cup 1966

This was a golden age for Billie Jean King. She won six of her Grand Slam singles titles at Wimbledon. She won four at the U.S. Championships/Open. She also won one at the French Open and one at the Australian Championships. King reached 16 Grand Slam singles finals and won 12 of them. From 1971 to 1975, she won seven of the ten Grand Slam singles tournaments she played. She won her last seven Grand Slam singles finals. Most of her Grand Slam singles titles were on grass courts.

During these years, King was often ranked World No. 1. She won 97 of her 129 career singles titles in this period. In 1966, she won her first Wimbledon singles title. She beat Margaret Court in the semi-finals and Maria Bueno in the final. She successfully defended her Wimbledon title in 1967. She also won the U.S. Championships for the first time that year. In 1968, King won the Australian Championships. This was her first Grand Slam singles title in Australia. She then won her third consecutive Wimbledon singles title.

Billie Jean King in 1970

In 1970, King had a memorable Wimbledon final against Margaret Court. Court won in a very close match. In 1971, King had an incredible year, winning 17 tournaments. She had a record of 112 wins and 13 losses. She won the US Open without losing a set. In 1971, King also became the first female tennis player to earn $100,000 in a single year. President Richard M. Nixon called her to congratulate her.

In 1972, King won three Grand Slam singles titles. She won the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. This completed her career Grand Slam. She won Wimbledon for the fourth time. She also won the US Open without losing a set. In 1973, King won her fifth Wimbledon singles title. She beat Chris Evert in the final. She also achieved the "Triple Crown" at Wimbledon. This means winning singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles in the same year.

The dress worn by King in 1973 during the Battle of the Sexes match. The National Museum of American History

The Famous "Battle of the Sexes" Match

Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs in 1973

In 1973, Billie Jean King played a very famous match against Bobby Riggs. Riggs was a former top men's player. He claimed that even at 55 years old, he could beat the best female players. He had already defeated Margaret Court. King had previously turned down Riggs's challenges. However, after Riggs defeated Margaret Court, King felt it was important to accept. She believed winning would help women's tennis and the fight for equal opportunities in sports. This match was about more than just tennis; it was about showing that women athletes deserved respect and equal treatment.

The match was called "the Battle of the Sexes." It took place on September 20, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome. It attracted huge attention. Over 30,000 people watched live. An estimated 90 million people watched on TV in 37 countries. 29-year-old King beat 55-year-old Riggs 6–4, 6–3, 6–3. This match was a big moment for women's tennis. It helped gain more recognition and respect for female athletes. King later said, "I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match."

In 1974, King won her fourth US Open singles title. She beat Evonne Goolagong in a close final. In 1975, King won her sixth Wimbledon singles title. She defeated Evonne Goolagong Cawley in a very dominant performance. After this win, she announced she would temporarily retire from singles tournaments.

Later Career and Retirement: 1976-1990

King in 1978 photographed by Lynn Gilbert (1978)

After 1975, King focused more on doubles. In 1976, she won the mixed doubles title at the US Open with Phil Dent. She had knee surgery in November 1976. In 1977, she returned to singles play. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She also won five tournaments that year. She felt fitter than ever at 34 years old.

In 1978, King continued to play singles and doubles. She won the women's doubles title at the US Open with Martina Navratilova. This was her 14th Grand Slam women's doubles title. She had foot surgery in December 1978. In 1979, she returned to singles. She beat Martina Navratilova at a warm-up tournament for Wimbledon. She then partnered with Navratilova to win her 20th and final Wimbledon title. This broke a long-standing record. She reached the semi-finals of the US Open that year.

In 1980, King played in the French Open for the first time since 1972. She reached the quarterfinals. At Wimbledon, she had a very long and exciting quarterfinal match against Martina Navratilova. Navratilova won in three sets. King and Navratilova won King's 39th and final Grand Slam title at the US Open in women's doubles.

In 1982, King made a comeback in singles. She won the Edgbaston Cup, her first singles title in over two years. At 38, she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon. She became the oldest female semi-finalist there since 1920. In 1983, she reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon again. She also became the oldest WTA player to win a singles tournament. She won the Edgbaston Cup at 39 years old. Her final official singles match was at the 1983 Australian Open.

Beyond Playing: Coaching and Leadership

King played doubles occasionally from 1984 to 1990. She officially retired from competitive play in doubles in March 1990. After her playing career, King became a captain and coach. She led the United States Fed Cup team to a championship in 1996. She also helped Lindsay Davenport, Gigi Fernández, and Mary Joe Fernández win Olympic gold medals.

In 2002, King made a tough decision. She removed Jennifer Capriati from the Fed Cup team for breaking rules. This caused a lot of discussion. The next year, Zina Garrison took over as Fed Cup captain.

Fighting for Fairness: Billie Jean King's Activism

Equal Pay for Athletes

Before 1968, tennis was mostly an amateur sport. Top players were often paid secretly. Billie Jean King spoke out against this. She called it "shamateurism." She believed it made tennis too exclusive. King became a strong voice for making tennis a professional sport. She wanted players to be respected and paid fairly.

Championing Women's Rights in Sports

When professional tennis began, King fought for equal prize money. She wanted men and women to earn the same. In 1971, she helped create a women's tennis group. It was supported by World Tennis magazine and sponsored by Virginia Slims. King became the first woman athlete to earn over $100,000 in prize money. But inequalities still existed. In 1972, King won the US Open but received $15,000 less than the men's champion. She said she wouldn't play the next year if the prize money wasn't equal. In 1973, the US Open became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money for men and women.

King also led efforts to start the first professional women's tennis tour. It was called the Virginia Slims tour. She worked very hard to promote it. In 1973, King became the first president of the Women's Tennis Association. In 1974, she co-founded womenSports magazine. She also started the Women's Sports Foundation. She was also involved in World TeamTennis, a league she later owned.

King is a member of the Board of Honorary Trustees for the Sports Museum of America. The museum has the Billie Jean King International Women's Sports Center.

More Than Just Tennis: Other Contributions

King's husband, Larry, helped start World TeamTennis in 1973. King stayed involved with the league for many years. She eventually shared ownership with her ex-husband, her life partner Ilana Kloss, and the USTA. In 2017, she sold her main ownership share. World TeamTennis was based on her ideas for gender equality.

In 1999, King joined the board of directors of Philip Morris Incorporated. She no longer serves in that role.

As of 2012, King was involved with the Women's Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. She also served on the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. She wanted to encourage young people to stay active.

In 2008, King published her book, Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes.

In December 2013, President Barack Obama chose King to represent the United States at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This was seen as a message about equal rights. King had to withdraw from the delegation because her mother was ill. Her mother, Betty Moffitt, passed away on February 7, 2014.

Billie Jean gave the commencement address at Northwestern University on June 16, 2017. She attended the 75th Golden Globe Awards in 2018 as a guest of actress Emma Stone.

King and Ilana Kloss became minority owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team in September 2018. They also became owners of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks basketball team. In October 2020, they joined the ownership group of Angel City FC. This is a Los Angeles–based team in the National Women's Soccer League.

King is also an investor in Just Women's Sports. This is an American media platform for women's sports.

In 2023, King competed on season ten of The Masked Singer as "Royal Hen."

Awards and Honors for Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King speaking at an event in Des Moines, Iowa

What Other Tennis Stars Say

Margaret Court, who won many Grand Slam titles, called King "the greatest competitor I've ever known."

Chris Evert, winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, said King "has vision people can only dream about." She called King her mentor.

In 1979, top players were asked who they would pick to win a tough match. Martina Navratilova, Rosemary Casals, and Françoise Dürr all picked King. Navratilova said, "for one big occasion, one big match, one crucial point, yes, it would have to be Billie Jean."

Major Awards and Recognitions

• King was the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year in 1967.
• In 1972, King became the first female athlete to be named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.
• In 1975, Seventeen magazine found King was the most admired woman in the world.
• King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987.
• Life magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century" in 1990.
• King received the 1999 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
• In 2003, the International Tennis Federation gave her the Philippe Chatrier Award. This was for her contributions to tennis.
• In 2006, the USTA National Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
• In 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger inducted King into the California Hall of Fame.
• On August 12, 2009, President Barack Obama awarded King the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This was for her work for women's rights and equality. She was the first female athlete to receive it.
• She was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Hall of Fame on August 5, 2011.
• On August 2, 2013, King was among the first people inducted into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
• King received the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award on December 16, 2018.
• Cal State LA's athletic facility is named the Billie Jean King Sports Complex.
• On September 21, 2019, her hometown of Long Beach, California, opened the Billie Jean King Main Library.
• The Fed Cup was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup in September 2020 in her honor.
• King was a three-time World Series champion as part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers (2020, 2024, and 2025).
• In 2021, King received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award.
• In June 2022, King was awarded the French Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron.

Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

• In 2024, King received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.
• King became the first individual female athlete to receive a Congressional Gold Medal in September 2024. This was for her leadership in advancing equal rights for women.
• In 2025, King became the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for sports entertainment.

Billie Jean King's Playing Style and Spirit

Billie Jean King in 2016

King was an exciting player. She was aggressive and hit the ball hard. She was also very fast. Chris Evert once said King's only weakness was her impatience.

King described herself as a perfectionist. She loved hitting a shot correctly. She said that any woman who wants to achieve great things needs to be tough.

In a 1984 interview, King reflected on her career. She said being No. 1 was the best time of her life. She wished she could have focused only on tennis. She felt she had to do too much "off the court."

Julie Heldman, another player, described King's strong personality. She said King was "the smartest one, the cleverest one you'll ever see."

King believed champions play their weaknesses better. She said that in tough moments, she could hit her weakest shot perfectly. This was because she had the ultimate confidence.

Billie Jean King's Personal Journey

Billie Jean and Larry King married in Long Beach, California, on September 17, 1965. Billie Jean said Larry helped her understand feminism. He also encouraged her tennis career. They remained married until 1987.

Billie Jean and Larry stayed close friends after their divorce. She is the godmother to Larry's son from his later marriage.

On October 18, 2018, King and Ilana Kloss were married. Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins performed the ceremony. King and her wife Kloss live in New York City and Chicago.

In March 2021, it was announced that King would be an advisor to First Women's Bank in Chicago.

Billie Jean King's Grand Slam Records

Grand Slam Singles Finals

18 finals (12 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result	Year	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1963	Wimbledon	Grass	Margaret Court	3–6, 4–6
Loss	1965	U.S. Championships	Grass	Margaret Court	6–8, 5–7
Win	1966	Wimbledon	Grass	Maria Bueno	6–3, 3–6, 6–1
Win	1967	Wimbledon (2)	Grass	Ann Haydon-Jones	6–3, 6–4
Win	1967	U.S. Championships	Grass	Ann Haydon-Jones	11–9, 6–4
Win	1968	Australian Championships	Grass	Margaret Court	6–1, 6–2
↓ Open Era ↓
Win	1968	Wimbledon (3)	Grass	Judy Tegart-Dalton	9–7, 7–5
Loss	1968	US Open	Grass	Virginia Wade	4–6, 2–6
Loss	1969	Australian Open	Grass	Margaret Court	4–6, 1–6
Loss	1969	Wimbledon	Grass	Ann Haydon-Jones	6–3, 3–6, 2–6
Loss	1970	Wimbledon	Grass	Margaret Court	12–14, 9–11
Win	1971	US Open (2)	Grass	Rosemary Casals	6–4, 7–6(5–2)
Win	1972	French Open	Clay	Evonne Goolagong	6–3, 6–3
Win	1972	Wimbledon (4)	Grass	Evonne Goolagong	6–3, 6–3
Win	1972	US Open (3)	Grass	Kerry Melville Reid	6–3, 7–5
Win	1973	Wimbledon (5)	Grass	Chris Evert	6–0, 7–5
Win	1974	US Open (4)	Grass	Evonne Goolagong	3–6, 6–3, 7–5
Win	1975	Wimbledon (6)	Grass	Evonne Goolagong Cawley	6–0, 6–1

Grand Slam Tournament Journey

• Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Amazing Tennis Records

• Most singles matches played in a season (1971): 125.
• Most singles matches won in a season (1971): 112.
• Most doubles titles won in a season (1971): 21.
• Most singles and doubles titles won in a season (1971): 38.
• Most singles and doubles matches won in a season (1971): 192.
• Most doubles matches won in a season (1971): 80.
• Oldest singles title winner on the WTA Tour (Birmingham 1983): 39 years, 7 months.
• President of the WTA

Books by Billie Jean King

• Pressure is a Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the Sexes (2008)

See also

In Spanish: Billie Jean King para niños