Billie Jean King, the daughter of a firefighter from Long Beach, made her Grand Slam debut aged 15 in 1959 and two years later neighbours raised $2,000 so she could play at Wimbledon. There she won the women’s doubles at her first attempt, the first of 39 Grand Slam titles that included 12 singles triumphs. She retired from competitive singles in 1983 having seen the sport transformed.
King’s French Open win in 1972 made her only the fifth woman in tennis history to win the singles titles at all four Grand Slam events, a “career Grand Slam”.She also won a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. In women’s doubles, only the Australian Open eluded her.
King won a record 20 career titles at Wimbledon – six in singles, 10 in women’s doubles, and four in mixed doubles.
King played 51 Grand Slam singles events from 1959 through 1983, reaching at least the semi-finals in 27 and at least the quarterfinals in 40 of her attempts. King was the runner-up in six Grand Slam singles events.
King won 129 singles titles, 78 of which were WTA titles.
She told our Michael Yiakoumi she had returned to Wimbledon for the first time in 40 years and never expected such a great reception from the fans.
And enjoyed playing an exhibition match on Centre Court

Tennis legend Billie Jean King acknowledges the crowd after being introduced from her seat in the Royal Box on Centre Court

Billie Jean King with Wimbledon 2023 mens winner Carlos Alcaraz