Billie Jean King on tennis, coming out, and graduating college at 82
At 82, tennis icon Billie Jean King reflects on her historic career, sexuality, and graduating college this year. Introduced to the game at age 11 in Long Beach, California, by classmate Susan Williams, King became world No 1 and amassed 39 Grand Slam titles: 12 singles, 16 doubles, and 11 mixed doubles. Her 20 Wimbledon titles tie Martina Navratilova for the record, but her impact extended far beyond the court as a leading advocate for equal prize money in women's sports.
In 1970, King led the "Original 9" female players to launch the first major women's professional tour, signing symbolic $1 contracts with World Tennis publisher Gladys Heldman. In 1973, she defeated Bobby Riggs in the famous "Battle of the Sexes." Although that milestone transformed women's tennis, King struggled privately with her sexuality—she now identifies as a lesbian—while her marriage to lawyer and promoter Larry King became increasingly strained.
Living in New York with her wife, former tennis pro Ilana Kloss, King remains an energetic voice for equality. Born Billie Jean Moffitt, she was mentored as a youth by two-time Olympic pole-vault champion Bob Richards, though she later distanced herself from organized religion over its treatment of women. Now in her ninth decade, King continues to blend high-spirited humor with an unwavering commitment to fairness and athletic access.
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