Career Highlights:
Billie Jean's parents introduced her to tennis when she was 11 years old.
1959 at 15 she won the Southern California championship in her age group.
Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Championships, losing to Justina Bricka in the first round .
1960 won her first adult tournament title - Philadelphia and District Women's Grass Court Championships.
Lost second round singles match at Wimbledon (received first round bye).
Finished the year ranked fourth in the U.S.
1961 won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in her first attempt with partner Susman.
Finished the year ranked third in the U.S.
1962 Upset Court, World No. 1 and top seed (second round), in only her second career singles match at Wimbledon. Lost in quarterfinals.
1963 won Southern California Championships.
Upset Maria Bueno in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before losing in the semifinals.
Won her first international title at the Irish Championships.
Ranked fourth in the world and second in the U.S. at the end of the year.
1964 Reached Wimbledon semifinals (lost to Court), and lost to Court in the final of the Federation Cup. Reached quarterfinals at the U.S. Championships.
Decided to make a full-time commitment to tennis .
Robert Mitchell (same businessman who had helped Margaret Smith [Court]) paid her way to Australia to train under the great Australian coach Mervyn Rose.
1965 Won six tournaments during the year. Finished the year ranked fourth in the world, and tied for first in the U.S. (with Gunter).1966 Won Wimbledon Singles.
1967 Won Wimbledon and U.S. Open Singles titles.
1968 Won Wimbledon Singles.
1971 Won U.S. Open Singles.
1972 Won Wimbledon and U.S. Open Singles.
1973 Won Wimbledon Singles.
Defeated Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-4, 6-3 in the “battle of the sexes” before 30,492 spectators in the Houston Astrodome (reportedly the largest ever live audience for tennis) as well as television viewers in 37 countries. The match was played under the normal rules of tennis. Billie Jean took home $100,000 from the winner-takes-all match.
1974 Won U.S. Open Singles.
1975 Won Wimbledon Singles.
1987 Billie Jean King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
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Profile:
Birth Name: Billie Jean Moffitt
Birth Date: November 22nd, 1943
Birth Place: Long Beach, California
Height: 5'4.5"
College: Los Angeles State
Parents:
Siblings: 1 brother - Randy Moffitt
Plays: Right
Turned Pro: 1968
Retired: 1983
Pro Wins: 695 12 Grand Slam singles titles 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.
Best Results in Major ChampionshipsAustralian Open - 1 Singles TitleFrench Open - 1 Singles TitleWimbledon - (20) 6 Singles TitlesU.S. Open - 4 Singles Titles
Career Singles Record: 695-155
Career Doubles Record: 87-37
Awards:
In 1967 selected "Outstanding Female Athlete of the World".
In 1972 named Sports Illustrated "Sportsperson of the Year", the first woman to be so honored.
In 1973, she was chosen "Female Athlete of the Year".
Awarded the National Service Bowl for her contributions to tennis as President of Tennis-America.
In 1990, Life magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century".
Elton John's song "Philadelphia Freedom" is a tribute to her.
Recipient of the 1999 Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
The USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows was re-named the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (August 28, 2006).
Billie Jean King was inducted into the California Hall of Fame on December 6, 2006.
Presented with the 2007 Sunday Times Sports Women of the Year Lifetime Achievement award for her contribution to sport, both on and off the court (November 20, 2007).
Milestones:
Billie Jean was an aggressive, hard-hitting competitor. She was the first female athlete to win over $100,000 prize money in a single season.
She established the first successful women's professional tennis tour and founded tennis clinics for undeprivileged children.
Billie Jean King is the only woman to win U.S. singles titles on all 4 surfaces on which it has been played (grass, clay, indoor, and hard.)
She is one of only 9 players to hold a singles title in each of the Grand Slam in tennis events.
Billie Jean has always been active in the women's rights movement, particularly in the area of equality of wages. She spoke out for women and their right to earn comparable money in tennis and other sports and broke down many barriers.
She was one of the founders of the Women's Tennis Association and co-founder of Womensport magazine.
A Necessary Spectacle:
Billie Jean King, Bobby Riggs,
and the Tennis Match
That Leveled the Game
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