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Billie Jean King

WTA · Retired · United States

Billie Jean King

Career-high ranking: 2

Player at a glance

For Billie Jean King, this snapshot records 923 matches and 739 wins from 1968 through 1984. The highest verified singles ranking is world No. 2. The data records 9 Grand Slam singles titles and 84 tour titles. On Grass, the snapshot shows a 85.2% win rate across 243 matches.

Status
Retired
Age
Age 82
Height
165 cm
Playing hand
Right-handed
Tour wins
739 / 923
Tour titles
84
Grand Slam titles
9
Career win rate
80.1%

Results by surface

Read each win rate together with its recorded match sample.

Carpet
76.8%302 matches
Grass
85.2%243 matches
Hard
82.8%192 matches
Clay
76.4%161 matches

Player at a glance

How they play

Billie Jean King won 39 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles, and helped build the foundation of women’s professional tennis. Her achievements on court and her role in institutional change belong in the same story.

Fast attacking patterns and net pressure denied opponents preparation time. Court sense and forward judgment honed in doubles carried directly into her aggressive singles game.

What to watch

If you are new to this player

  • After a strong shot, watch how she reduces space by moving forward rather than remaining on the baseline.
  • On volleys, notice how racquet face and body position create direction without a large swing.

For a closer look

  • After return, observe how she distinguishes a ball that permits an immediate net transition from one that requires another rally shot.
  • Look for the doubles poaching instincts that shape her forward timing in singles.

Career timeline by age

  1. · Age 24

    First recorded tour match

    The first main-draw tour match covered by the current data set.

  2. · Age 24

    First tour title

    A verified tour-title milestone in this player’s career.

  3. · Age 24

    First Grand Slam singles title

    A verified Grand Slam milestone in this player’s career.

  4. · Age 29

    Victory over Bobby Riggs in the “Battle of the Sexes”

    She won 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 at the Houston Astrodome, greatly expanding public discussion of gender equality in sport.

  5. · Age 34

    Career-high ranking: No. 2

    The highest position found in the available weekly singles rankings.

  6. · Age 40

    Most recent recorded match

    The latest tour match included in the current snapshot.

Racquet and string history

Verified equipment history is being added

Pro paint jobs can differ from the frame underneath. We separate observed use, endorsements, and comparable retail models, with sources and dates.

Worth knowing

  • In 1970, King and eight colleagues signed one-dollar contracts that helped launch the women’s professional tour.
  • The US Open complex is the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, named in her honor.

Verified sources

International Tennis Hall of Fame player profileChecked Aug 21, 2026 · Confidence: High

What to borrow for your game

  • Copy the sequence of preparation, contact point, and recovery rather than only the final shot.
  • On Grass, identify the repeated starting position and purpose of the first two shots before borrowing the pattern.
  • Compare footage from different career stages to see how positioning and shot selection evolved.

Notable numbers

  • Reached a verified career-high singles ranking of world No. 2.
  • This page uses 923 recorded matches from the 1968–1984 seasons.
  • The snapshot records 13 Grand Slam finals and 9 titles.

Reviewed sources

A result-based profile built from surface results, rankings, titles, and playing hand. Missing shot-speed, spin-rate, and point-pattern data are not invented.

Player reference page ↗

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