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    Exclusive Interview with Tennis Great Billy Jean King – Twenty Twelve

    Exclusive Interview with Tennis Great Billy Jean King – Twenty Twelve

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    Billie Jean King (born November 22, 1943) is an American former professional tennis player. King won a total of 39 Grand Slam titles throughout her career; this includes 12 singles, 16 doubles and 11 mixed doubles titles. Additionally King won the first ever WTA Tour Championships and was a three time winner of the doubles event. King is an advocate for sexual equality and won The Battle of the Sexes tennis match against Bobby Riggs in 1973 and was the founder of the Women’s Tennis Association, World Team Tennis and the Women’s Sports Foundation.

    King has been bestowed with several honours. She was inducted in to the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 and was awarded the Phillipe Chartrier Award in 2003. The Fed Cup Award of Excellence was bestowed on King in 2010. In 1972 King was the joint winner with John Wooden of the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award and was one of the Time Persons of the year in 1975. King has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and was given the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the year lifetime achievement award. King was inducted into the National Women’s hall of fame in 1990 and in 2006 the USTA National Tennis Center was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center after her.

    World Liberty TV had the pleasure to speak to Ms. King, as she was being honored with the ‘Spirit of Active Lifestyle’ Award at The Orthopedic Foundation’s annual gala.

    Interview with Billy Jean King, Tennis Great

    Interview with Billy Jean King, Tennis Great

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    Billie Jean King was born November 22, 1943 in Long Beach, California. Billie Jean began playing tennis at an early age and quickly became one of the best in the world, following her first Wimbledon double’s title in 1962. She would go on to win 20 Wimbledon titles and fight for equal pay for the women title.
    Between 1961 and 1979, Billie Jean King won a record 20 Wimbledon titles, including the singles in 1966–8, 1972–3, and 1975. She also won 13 US titles (including four singles), four French titles (one singles), and two Australian titles (one singles).
    Off the court, Billie Jean King fought for equal prize money for men and women and in 1971 became the first female athlete to win over $100,000. This campaign for equality is most notably remembered by her 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” match against 55-year-old tennis champ Bobby Riggs, who claimed the women’s game to be inferior. The match drew considerable publicity and before a worldwide television audience of some 50 million, King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
    In 1974, Billie Jean King became the first president of the Women’s Tennis Association. She headed up the first professional women’s tour, the Virginia Slims, in the 1970s. She was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 and served as captain of the United States Fed Cup team in the 1990s.