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Birth
Billie Jean King was born at Long Beach in California, US -
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Career
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20 Wimbledon titles
She won a record 20 career titles at Wimbledon – six in singles, 10 in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. -
Won the Wimbledon double
She won the Wimbledon doubles championship with Karen Hantze -
A historic year
With her victories in 1967, she was the first woman since 1938 to sweep the U.S. and British singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles in a single year. -
Turned professionnal
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Became the first woman athlete to win more than 100 000$ in one season
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Battle of the Sexes
In 1973, King defeated Bobby Riggs, who had been a top men's player in the 1930s and 1940s, in an exhibition match, winning $100,000. -
President of the WTA
She was one of the founders and the first president of the Women’s Tennis Association -
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Captain of the United States Fed Cup team and coach of its women's Olympic tennis squad
She became the captain of the United States Fed Cup team and coach of its women's Olympic tennis squad -
Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Barack Obama awarded King the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work advocating for the rights of women and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community