Career Timeline of Billie Jean King: Major Achievements and Milestones

Discover the career path of Billie Jean King, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Billie Jean King, a former world No. 1 American tennis player, secured 39 Grand Slam titles across singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. King's contributions extended to team victories, representing the United States in seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. Beyond her athletic achievements, she has been a prominent figure in advocating for gender equality in sports and society.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1920: Reference to Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers

In 1982, when King reached the Wimbledon semi-finals, she was the oldest female semi-finalist since Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers in 1920.

1939: Riggs Wins Wimbledon

In 1939, Bobby Riggs won the Wimbledon men's singles title.

1939: Alice Marble's achievement

In 1967, King won the singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles titles at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships, the first woman to do that since Alice Marble in 1939.

1941: Riggs Ranked World No. 1

In 1941, Bobby Riggs was considered the World No. 1 male tennis player.

1946: Riggs Ranked World No. 1

In 1946, Bobby Riggs was considered the World No. 1 male tennis player.

1947: Riggs Ranked World No. 1

In 1947, Bobby Riggs was considered the World No. 1 male tennis player.

1959: Early Career

From 1959 through 1965, Billie Jean King went through thirteen unsuccessful attempts to win a Grand Slam singles title. In 1966, at the age of 22, she finally won the first of her six singles titles at Wimbledon.

1959: Grand Slam Debut

In 1959, Billie Jean King made her Grand Slam debut at the U.S. Championships at age 15, losing in the first round.

1959: First Grand Slam Singles Event

In 1959, Billie Jean King played her first Grand Slam singles event, beginning her journey in major tennis tournaments.

1960: First Tournament Win

In 1960, Billie Jean King won her first tournament in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia and District Grass Court Championships, marking an early milestone in her career.

1961: King's Wimbledon Debut

1961 marks Billie Jean King's debut at Wimbledon. From her debut in 1961 until 1976, she had played in the final of one of the three championship events for women every year.

1961: Wimbledon Women's Doubles Title

In 1961, Billie Jean King, at age 17, gained international recognition by winning the Wimbledon women's doubles title with Karen Hantze, becoming the youngest team to win the title.

1962: Upsets Margaret Court

In 1962, Billie Jean King upset Margaret Court, the World No. 1, at Wimbledon, and repeated her doubles victory with Karen Hantze.

1963: Wimbledon Final Loss to Margaret Court

In 1963, Billie Jean King faced Margaret Court in the Wimbledon final, where Court prevailed, marking a significant match in their rivalry.

1963: Federation Cup Win

In 1963, Billie Jean King was on the winning United States team in the Federation Cup, contributing to the team's victory.

1964: Left College to Focus on Tennis

In 1964, Billie Jean King left Los Angeles State College to focus on her tennis career, demonstrating her commitment to the sport.

1964: Commits to Full-Time Tennis

In 1964, Billie Jean King made a full-time commitment to tennis with financial support to train in Australia, signifying a pivotal decision in her career.

1965: Early Career

1965: Defeats Ann Haydon-Jones

In 1965, Billie Jean King defeated Ann Haydon-Jones at the Fed Cup but lost to Margaret Court in the final. At Wimbledon, she lost to Maria Bueno in the semi-finals.

1965: Return to Australian Summer Tour

In 1967, King returned to the Australian summer tour for the first time since 1965, playing seven events.

1965: First year without a Grand Slam title since 1965

In 1969, it marked the first year since 1965 that Billie Jean King did not win at least one Grand Slam singles title.

1966: Year-Ending World No. 1 Ranking

From 1966 to 1975, Billie Jean King was the year-ending World No. 1 in six of the ten years, demonstrating her dominance in women's tennis.

1966: Start of Grand Slam Rivalry

From 1966 to 1975, Billie Jean King's Grand Slam record was comparable to Margaret Court's, with the two winning 24 of the 40 Grand Slam singles tournaments held during this period.

1966: Federation Cup Win

In 1966, Billie Jean King was on the winning United States team in the Federation Cup, adding to her achievements in team competitions.

1966: First Wimbledon Singles Title

In 1966, after thirteen unsuccessful attempts, Billie Jean King won her first Wimbledon singles title, defeating Maria Bueno in the final.

1967: Federation Cup Win

In 1967, Billie Jean King contributed to the United States team's victory in the Federation Cup, marking another successful year.

1967: South African Tennis Championships Title

In 1967, Billie Jean King successfully defended her title at the South African Tennis Championships, defeating Maria Bueno in the final. She also played the French Championships for the first time, reaching the quarterfinals. She won all four of her matches at the Federation Cup in West Germany. She secured her second consecutive Wimbledon singles title and won her first U.S. Championships without losing a set. She won the singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles titles at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships. She also returned to the Australian summer tour.

1967: King criticizes USLTA's "shamateurism"

In 1967, King criticized the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) for its practice of "shamateurism," where top players were paid under the table, arguing that this kept the game elitist. This positioned King as a force in the opening of tennis to professionalism.

1968: Australian Championships win and knee surgery

In early 1968, Billie Jean King won three consecutive tournaments in Australia, including the Australian Championships. She continued winning upon her return to the United States and then in Europe. She won her third consecutive Wimbledon singles title. On September 24, 1968, she had surgery to repair cartilage in her left knee.

1969: Australian Open Final and Tournament Wins

In 1969, Billie Jean King participated in the Australian summer tour but did not win a tournament. She lost in the Australian Open final to Margaret Court. She later won the Pacific Coast Pro and the Los Angeles Pro, as well as two tournaments in South Africa. She reached the Wimbledon final but lost to Ann Haydon-Jones and lost in the quarterfinals of the US Open. This was the first year since 1965 that King did not win at least one Grand Slam singles title. She finished the year with titles at the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles, the Stockholm Indoors, and the Midland (Texas) Pro.

September 1970: Pacific Southwest Open and Women's Rights Advocacy

In September 1970, Billie Jean King advocated for better pay for female tennis players. At the Pacific Southwest Open, the prize money for men was significantly higher than for women, leading King and other women to boycott the tournament and organize the women-only Houston Virginia Slims invitational. This helped launch a series of women-only tournaments.

1970: Margaret Court wins the Grand Slam

In 1970, Margaret Court won the Grand Slam. Court's 1973 season was her first full season since winning the Grand Slam in 1970.

1971: Best Year in Terms of Tournaments Won

Although Billie Jean King won only one Grand Slam singles title in 1971, this was the best year of her career in terms of tournaments won, with a 112–13 win–loss record.

1971: Grand Slam Success Begins

From 1971 to 1975, Billie Jean King won seven of the ten Grand Slam singles tournaments she played, showcasing a dominant period in her career.

1971: Women's group formation and Virginia Slims sponsorship

In 1971, King's husband, Larry King, created the idea to form a nine player women's group with the financial backing of World Tennis magazine founder Gladys Heldman and the sponsorship of Virginia Slims chairman Joe Cullman. King became the first woman athlete to earn over US$100,000 in prize money.

1971: US Open Victory and $100,000 Earnings

In August 1971, Billie Jean King won the US Open without losing a set. She also won tournaments in Houston, Indianapolis, Louisville, Phoenix, and London (Wembley Pro). In 1971, she became the first female tennis player to earn $100,000 a year, receiving a congratulatory call from President Richard M. Nixon.

1971: Loss to Christine Truman Janes and Rothmans North of England Championships Win

In early May 1971, Billie Jean King lost to Christine Truman Janes at Hurlingham, United Kingdom, but won the German Open in Hamburg. She lost to Margaret Court at the Queen's Club tournament in London and lost in Wimbledon semi-finals. She won the Rothmans North of England Championships.

1971: Playing in New Zealand

In late 1971, Billie Jean King played in New Zealand and was nearby the Australian Open, but she decided not to participate in the 1972 Australian Open.

1972: King Wins the French Open

In 1972, Billie Jean King won the French Open. She played the 1980 French Open, her first time since she won the event in 1972 and completed a career singles Grand Slam.

1972: Grand Slam Titles and Focus on Virginia Slims Tournaments

In 1972, Billie Jean King won three Grand Slam singles titles but chose not to play the Australian Open. She prioritized the Virginia Slims winter tournaments. Her dominance was aided by Margaret Court's absence from the tour.

1972: Career Grand Slam

In 1972, Billie Jean King's French Open win made her only the fifth woman in tennis history to achieve a "career Grand Slam", winning the singles titles at all four Grand Slam events.

1972: King wins US Open but receives less prize money than male champion

In 1972, King won the US Open but received US$15,000 less than the men's champion Ilie Năstase. She threatened to boycott the next year if the prize money was not equal.

September 20, 1973: The Battle of the Sexes

On September 20, 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" at the Houston Astrodome. The match was viewed by an estimated 50 million people in the U.S. and 90 million in 37 countries. This victory is considered a significant event in promoting respect for women's tennis.

1973: King Completes Triple Crown and Plays Battle of the Sexes

In 1973, Billie Jean King completed the Triple Crown at Wimbledon. She then played Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes after a series of Virginia Slims tournaments, and ended the year with wins in Phoenix, Hawaii, and Tokyo, and was runner-up in Baltimore.

1973: King Defeats Bobby Riggs

In 1973, Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in an exhibition match and won $100,000.

1973: Larry King co-founds World Team Tennis

In 1973, Billie Jean King's husband Larry co-founded World Team Tennis with Dennis Murphy, Jordan Kaiser, and Fred Barman.

1973: King becomes first president of the Women's Tennis Association

In 1973, King became the first president of the women's players union, the Women's Tennis Association.

1973: Margaret Court's Dominance and King's Inconsistency

In 1973, Margaret Court dominated by winning three Grand Slam singles titles and was ranked world No. 1. Billie Jean King started the year inconsistently, missing tournaments due to a wrist injury. King defeated Court at the Virginia Slims of Indianapolis, ending Court's winning streak, but struggled in subsequent tournaments, losing twice to Court.

1973: Battle of the Sexes

In 1973, at the age of 29, Billie Jean King won the "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match against 55-year-old Bobby Riggs. She also founded the Women's Tennis Association and the Women's Sports Foundation and helped persuade Virginia Slims to sponsor women's tennis.

1973: US Open offers equal prize money

In 1973, the US Open became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money for men and women, a significant achievement for King's advocacy.

1974: King's Victories and Setbacks

In 1974, Billie Jean King won five of the first seven tournaments she contested, including the Virginia Slims of San Francisco and the U.S. Indoor Championships, but had some upsets, including losses to Olga Morozova at Philadelphia and Wimbledon. She won her fourth US Open singles title.

1974: King founds womenSports magazine and the Women's Sports Foundation

In 1974, King, with husband Larry King and Jim Jorgensen, founded womenSports magazine and started the Women's Sports Foundation. Also in 1974, World TeamTennis began, founded by Larry King, Dennis Murphy, Frank Barman and Jordan Kaiser.

1974: WTT Begins

In 1974, World Team Tennis began. Billie Jean King remained involved with World Team Tennis for decades, eventually sharing ownership with her ex-husband, her life partner Ilana Kloss and USTA.

1975: Year-Ending World No. 1 Ranking

From 1966 to 1975, Billie Jean King was the year-ending World No. 1 in six of the ten years, demonstrating her dominance in women's tennis.

1975: End of Grand Slam Rivalry

From 1966 to 1975, Billie Jean King's Grand Slam record was comparable to Margaret Court's, with the two winning 24 of the 40 Grand Slam singles tournaments held during this period.

1975: Grand Slam Dominance Continues

From 1971 to 1975, Billie Jean King won seven of the ten Grand Slam singles tournaments she played, showcasing a dominant period in her career.

1975: King's Limited Singles Play and Wimbledon Win

In 1975, Billie Jean King played singles only half the year and retired temporarily from tournament singles competition immediately after winning her sixth Wimbledon singles title.

1976: King's Finals Streak Ends at Wimbledon

In 1976, Billie Jean King competed at Wimbledon and extended her streak of reaching a final in one of the three championship events for women every year since her debut in 1961, continuing until 1976.

1976: King's Doubles Play and Knee Surgery

In 1976, Billie Jean King focused on doubles and mixed doubles, winning the mixed doubles title at the US Open. She underwent knee surgery in November.

1976: Federation Cup Win

In 1976, Billie Jean King was part of the winning United States team in the Federation Cup, continuing her success in the competition.

March 1977: King's Controversy and Tournament Win

In March 1977, Billie Jean King requested a wild card entry to the Virginia Slims Championships and chose to play in the Lionel Cup tournament, drawing criticism for the tournament allowing Renée Richards, a transgender athlete, to participate. King ultimately won the tournament.

1977: Evert Defeats King at Wimbledon

In 1977 at Wimbledon, Chris Evert defeated Billie Jean King for the first time at a Grand Slam singles tournament. It was also the first time King competed at Wimbledon and did not reach a final.

1978: King's Singles and Doubles Play

In 1978, Billie Jean King played ten singles tournaments during the first half of the year and focused on doubles after Wimbledon.

1978: King's Doubles Success and Foot Surgery

In 1978, Billie Jean King teamed with Navratilova to win the women's doubles title at the US Open. She also participated in the Federation Cup and Wightman Cup. She hinted at retirement from major singles competitions and had foot surgery in December.

1979: King's Limited Play After Surgery

In 1979, Billie Jean King played only one event, doubles in the Federation Cup tie against Spain, due to her foot surgery in December 1978.

1979: Federation Cup Win

In 1979, Billie Jean King was on the winning United States team in the Federation Cup, concluding a successful period in the competition.

1979: King's 1979 Wimbledon quarterfinal

In 1979, King played Tracy Austin in the Wimbledon quarterfinal, where King lost to Austin. This result was reversed in 1982 when King beat Austin.

1980: King Fails to Reach a Final at Wimbledon

In 1980, Billie Jean King competed at Wimbledon but did not feature in a final. The only other years she competed at the championship and did not feature in a final were 1980 and 1982.

1980: King at the French Open

In 1980, Billie Jean King played at the French Open for the first time since winning in 1972, losing in the quarterfinals.

1981: King's Final Grand Slam Title and Partnership Changes

In 1981, Billie Jean King teamed with Navratilova to win her 39th and final Grand Slam title at the US Open. Navratilova then decided to find a new doubles partner, leading to tension between them.

1982: Claim of Intentionally Losing Match

At the beginning of the year, Billie Jean King claimed in her 1982 autobiography that she intentionally lost a match in Long Beach due to an argument with her husband.

1982: King begins a comeback and reaches Wimbledon semi-finals

In 1982, Billie Jean King began a comeback, winning the Edgbaston Cup in Birmingham, her first singles title in over two years. At Wimbledon, she reached the semi-finals, becoming the oldest female semi-finalist since 1920, before being defeated by Chris Evert. King finished 1982 ranked 14th in the world.

1982: King Fails to Reach a Final at Wimbledon

In 1982, Billie Jean King competed at Wimbledon but did not feature in a final. The only other years she competed at the championship and did not feature in a final were 1980 and 1982.

1982: King becomes World TeamTennis league commissioner

In 1982, King became the league commissioner for World TeamTennis.

1983: Last Grand Slam Singles Event

In 1983, Billie Jean King played her last Grand Slam singles event, marking the end of an era in her career.

1983: King's final Wimbledon appearance

In 1983, Billie Jean King reached the semi-finals in her final appearance at Wimbledon, losing to Andrea Jaeger. During the tournament, Jaeger was highly motivated to beat King because King had defeated Turnbull, a favorite of Jaeger's.

1983: King wins Edgbaston Cup and reaches Wimbledon mixed doubles final

In 1983, King won the Edgbaston Cup in Birmingham, becoming the oldest WTA player to win a singles tournament. She also reached the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon, partnering with Steve Denton. King also made her final appearance at the US Open.

1984: Wimbledon mixed doubles

In 1984, Billie Jean King and Vijay Amritraj were seeded sixth for the Wimbledon mixed doubles, but they withdrew before the tournament began.

1984: King becomes a major owner of World TeamTennis

In 1984, King became a major owner of World TeamTennis.

March 1990: King's retirement from competitive doubles

In March 1990, King retired from competitive play in doubles after losing a second round match at the Virginia Slims of Florida tournament with partner Jennifer Capriati.

1990: Inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame

In 1990, Billie Jean King was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, honoring her contributions to women's rights and sports.

1996: King guides the U.S. to Fed Cup championship and Olympic gold medals

In 1996, as captain of the United States Fed Cup team and coach of its women's Olympic tennis squad, King guided the U.S. to the Fed Cup championship and helped Lindsay Davenport, Gigi Fernández, and Mary Joe Fernández capture Olympic gold medals.

2002: King dismisses Capriati from Fed Cup team

In 2002, King dismissed Capriati from the Fed Cup team for violating rules about personal coaches, leading to divided opinions and controversy.

2012: King's involvement in various foundations and councils

As of 2012, King was involved in the Women's Sports Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation. She also served on the President's Council for Fitness, Sports and Nutrition.

2017: King sells majority ownership stake of World Team Tennis

In 2017, King sold her majority ownership stake of the league to Mark Ein and Fred Luddy.

March 2021: King an Advisor to First Women's Bank

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

May 2022: Partnership with PWHPA

In May 2022, Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises partnered with the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) to create a new professional women's ice hockey league in North America.

June 29, 2023: Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises purchase the Premier Hockey Federation

On June 29, 2023, the Mark Walter Group and BJK Enterprises purchased the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) to create a new professional women's ice hockey league in North America.

January 1, 2024: New women's hockey league begins

On January 1, 2024, the new professional women's ice hockey league in North America, created after the buyout of the Premier Hockey Federation, began with the first game played between New York and Toronto in Toronto.