View source for Billie Jean King

{{Infobox Tennis player
| playername            = Billie Jean King
| image                 = [[Image:Billie Jean King by David Shankbone.jpg|250px]]
| nickname              = <!-- optional -->
| country               = {{USA}}
| residence             = 
| datebirth             = {{Birth date and age|1943|11|22}} 
| placebirth            = [[Long Beach]], [[California]]
| height                = 
| weight                = 
| turnedpro             = 1968
| retired               = 1983
| plays                 = Right
| careerprizemoney      = [[United States dollar|US$]]1,966,487<ref>[http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/Playerbio.asp?PlayerID=110100 Women's Tennis Association biography of Billie Jean King]</ref>
| singlesrecord         = 695-155<ref>[http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/Playerbio.asp?PlayerID=110100 Women's Tennis Association biography of Billie Jean King]</ref>
| singlestitles         = 67 ([[open era]] only)
| highestsinglesranking = 1 (1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1974)<ref>[http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=171 International Tennis Hall of Fame biography of Billie Jean Moffitt King]</ref>
| AustralianOpenresult  = '''W''' (1968)
| FrenchOpenresult      = '''W''' (1972)
| Wimbledonresult       = '''W''' (1966, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975)
| USOpenresult          = '''W''' (1967, 1971, 1972, 1974)
| doublesrecord         = 87-37<ref>[http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/Playerbio.asp?PlayerID=110100 Women's Tennis Association biography of Billie Jean King]</ref>
| doublestitles         = 
| highestdoublesranking = 
| updated               = 
}}

'''Billie Jean Moffitt King''' (born [[November 22]], [[1943]] in [[Long Beach, California]]) is a retired [[tennis]] player from the [[United States]]. During her career, she won 12 [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She is generally considered to be one of the greatest female tennis players and female athletes in history.  King has been an outspoken advocate against [[sexism]] in sports and society. The tennis match for which the public best remembers her is the "[[The Battle of the Sexes|Battle of the Sexes]]" in [[1973]], in which she defeated [[Bobby Riggs]], a former [[Wimbledon Championships|Wimbledon]] men's champion who had been ranked the [[World number one male tennis player rankings|"World's Number 1"]] tennis player for the years [[1941]], [[1946]], and [[1947]].

==Biography==

King was born '''Billie Jean Moffitt'''. She was born into a conservative Methodist family, the daughter of a firefighter father<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/history/billiejean_king.html |title=Official Wimbledon profile of Billie Jean King |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref> and housewife mother. Her younger brother [[Randy Moffitt]] grew up to become a professional [[baseball]] player, pitching for 12 years in the major leagues for the [[San Francisco Giants]], [[Houston Astros]], and [[Toronto Blue Jays]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/moffira01.shtml |title= Randy Moffitt Statistics |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>

===Early career===

Moffitt learned to play tennis on the public courts of Long Beach, California.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=171 |title= International Tennis Hall of Fame biography of Billie Jean Moffitt King |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>  She attended [[Long Beach Polytechnic High School]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingsschools.org/pr_si-article.asp |title= Press Release - King's Schools |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref> where she was a member of [[Zayn Welfare Sorority]]. She first gained international recognition in [[1961]] when, at age 17, she won the women's doubles title at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] in her first attempt while partnering [[Karen Hantze Susman]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/history/billiejean_king.html |title=Official Wimbledon profile of Billie Jean King |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>  At Wimbledon in [[1962]], in only her second career singles match at that tournament, Moffitt upset the number one player in the world and top seed, [[Margaret Smith Court]], in a second round match after Court had led 5-2 and was serving at 5-3 (30-15) in the third set.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.steveflink.com/wimbledon3.html |title=Billie Jean Moffitt King vs. Margaret Smith Court |accessdate=2007-02-15 |author=Flink, Steve}}</ref>

In 1965, Moffitt married law student Lawrence King.

In 1966, King won the first of her six singles titles at Wimbledon. She followed up in [[1967]] by winning the singles titles at both Wimbledon and the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]]. She developed a reputation as an aggressive, hard-hitting net-rusher, with excellent speed and a highly competitive personality. King once said, "Victory is fleeting. Losing is forever."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allthingswilliam.com/victory.html |title=all things William |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>

Before the start of the [[Tennis Open Era|open era]] in [[1968]], she earned [[United States dollar|US$]]100 a week as a playground instructor and student at [[California State University, Los Angeles|Los Angeles State College]] when not playing in major tennis tournaments. 

In 1967, King criticized the [[United States Tennis Association|United States Lawn Tennis Association]] in a series of press conferences, denouncing what she called the Association's practice of "shamateurism," where top players were paid under the table to guarantee their entry into tournaments. King argued that this was corrupt and kept the game highly elitist. King quickly became a significant force in the opening of tennis to professionalism.

When the open era began, King campaigned for equal prize money in the men's and women's games. As the financial backing of the women's game improved due to the efforts of World Tennis magazine founder, publisher and editor [[Gladys Heldman|Gladys M. Heldman]], King became the first woman athlete to earn over US$100,000 in prize money in [[1971]]; however, inequalities continued. 

In 1972, King won the U.S. Open but received US$15,000 less than the men's champion [[Ilie Năstase]]. She stated that if the prize money was not equal by the following year, she would not play. In [[1973]], the U.S. Open became the first major tournament to offer equal prize money for men and women.

===Battle of the Sexes===
{{Main|The Battle of the Sexes}}

Despite King's achievements at the world's biggest tennis tournaments, the U.S. public best remembers King for her win over [[Bobby Riggs]] in 1973. 

Riggs had been a top men's player in the 1930s and 1940s in both the amateur and professional ranks, becoming the world's best player in the mid-1940s. He then became a self-described tennis "hustler" who played in promotional challenge matches. In [[1973]], he took on the role of male [[chauvinist]].  Claiming that the women's game was so inferior to the men's game that even a 55-year-old like himself could beat the current top female players, he challenged and defeated [[Margaret Smith Court]] 6-2, 6-1.  King, who previously had rejected challenges from Riggs, then accepted a lucrative financial offer to play him.

Dubbed the [[Battle of the Sexes]], the Riggs-King match was played at the [[Houston Astrodome]] in [[Texas]] on [[September 20]], [[1973]]. The match garnered huge publicity. In front of 30,492 spectators and a worldwide television audience estimated at 50 million people in 37 countries, King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The match is considered a very significant event in developing greater recognition and respect for women's tennis.  King said, "I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn't win that match.  It would ruin the women's [tennis] tour and affect all women's self-esteem."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016060.html |title=Billie Jean won for all women |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>

In recent years, a persistent [[urban legend]] has arisen, particularly on the [[Internet]], that the rules of tennis were modified for the match so that Riggs had only one serve for King's two and that King was allowed to hit into the doubles court area.  {{This is untrue, the match was played under the normal rules of tennis.}}

===Furthering the tennis profession===

King led player efforts to support the first professional women's tennis tour in the 1970s called the Virginia Slims, founded by [[Gladys Heldman]] and funded by Joseph Cullman of [[Philip Morris]]. Once the tour took flight, King worked tirelessly to promote it. 

In 1973, King became the first president of the women's players union – the [[Women's Tennis Association]]. In 1974, she, with husband Larry King and [[Jim Jorgensen]], founded [[WomenSports magazine|''womenSports'']] magazine and started the [[Women's Sports Foundation]]. Also in 1974, King helped to found [[World TeamTennis]].  She became league commissioner in 1982.

King is also a founding member on the Board of Honorary Trustees for the [[National Sports Museum]], which is expected to open in early 2008, and will be home to the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame.

===Later career===

King retired from competitive play in singles at the end of 1983.  She reached the semifinals in her final appearance at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]], losing to [[Andrea Jaeger]] 6-1, 6-1 after beating [[Kathy Jordan]] 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals, [[Wendy Turnbull]] 7-5, 6-3 in the fourth round, and [[Rosie Casals]], her longtime doubles partner, 6-3, 6-4 in the third round.  The final singles match of her career was a second round 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 loss to [[Catherine Tanvier]] at the 1983 [[Australian Open]].

King played doubles sporadically from 1984 through 1990.  She retired from competitive play in doubles in March 1990.  In her last competitive doubles match, King and her partner, [[Jennifer Capriati]], lost a second round match to [[Brenda Schultz-McCarthy]] and [[Andrea Temesvari]] 6-3, 6-2 at the Virginia Slims of Florida tournament.

In the mid-1990s, King became the captain of the United States [[Fed Cup]] team and coach of its women's [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] tennis squad. She guided the U.S. to the Fed Cup championship in [[1996]] and helped [[Lindsay Davenport]], [[Gigi Fernandez]], and [[Mary Joe Fernandez]] capture Olympic gold medals. 

In 2002, King dismissed Capriati from the Fed Cup team, saying Capriati had violated rules that forbade bringing along and practicing with personal coaches. Opinion was sharply divided, with many supporting King's decision but many feeling the punishment was too harsh, especially in hindsight when [[Monica Seles]] and [[Lisa Raymond]] were defeated by lower-ranked Austrians [[Barbara Schett]] and [[Barbara Schwartz]]. The following year, [[Zina Garrison Jackson]] succeeded King as Fed Cup captain.

===Tennis legacy===

According to the end-of-year rankings compiled by the [[London Daily Telegraph|Daily Telegraph]] from 1914 through 1972, King was ranked first in the world three times: 1966, 1967, and 1968.  King also was ranked first for 1972 and 1974, when the official rankings were produced by the [[Women's Tennis Association]].

King's triumph at the [[French Open]] 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. She won a record 20 career titles at [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] – 6 singles, 10 women's doubles, and 4 mixed doubles. ([[Martina Navratilova]] also has 20 career titles at Wimbledon.)

During her career, King won 67 professional and 37 amateur singles titles and helped the United States win the [[Fed Cup]] seven times. Her career prize money totalled [[United States dollar|US$]]1,966,487.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com/2/players/playerprofiles/Playerbio.asp?PlayerID=110100 |title=Women's Tennis Association biography of Billie Jean King |accessdate=2007-02-15}}</ref>

King played 51 [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] events in singles from [[1959]] through [[1983]] (197-39 .835 win-loss record): 21 at Wimbledon (96-15 win-loss record), 18 at the [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships/Open]] (63-14 win-loss record), 7 at the [[French Open|French Championships/Open]] (22-6 win-loss record), and 5 at the Australian Championships/Open (16-4 win-loss record).  

She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles: 6 at Wimbledon, 4 at the U.S. Championships/Open, 1 at the French Open, and 1 at the Australian Championships.  She won the last 7 Grand Slam singles finals in which she played, 6 of them in straight sets.  Four of those finals were against [[Evonne Goolagong]].  

From 1966 through 1975, King played in 25 Grand Slam singles tournaments, winning 12.  She was the runner-up in 4 of those tournaments, a losing semifinalist in 2 of those tournaments, and a losing quarterfinalist in 5 of those tournaments.  From 1971 through 1975, King won 7 of the 10 Grand Slam singles tournaments she played.  All but one of King's Grand Slam singles championships were on grass.  

During her career, King was the runner-up in 6 Grand Slam singles events, and she reached at least the semifinals in 27 and at least the quarterfinals in 40 out of her 51 attempts.  An indicator of King's mental toughness at crunch time in Grand Slam singles tournaments was her 11-2 career record in deuce third sets, i.e., third sets that were tied 5-5 before being resolved.

===TV appearance===
King appeared on ''[[Law & Order]]'', one of her favorite television shows, as a judge on [[April 27]], [[2007]].

===Personal life===

King married Lawrence King in 1965. In 1971, she had an [[abortion]].  King said in an interview with ''[[60 Minutes]]'' in 1972 that she and her husband were not ready to have children at that time because both were busy with their careers and could not devote time to children.

In 1971, King began an intimate relationship with her secretary Marilyn Barnett.  King acknowledged the relationship when it became public in a lawsuit ten years later, becoming the first prominent American athlete to confirm having a gay relationship.  King said that she decided to play on the tour in [[1982]] and [[1983]] solely because she needed money to pay the attorneys who defended her in that lawsuit and that she really did not want to play at age 38 and 39.  

In 1987, she divorced Lawrence King. On a PBS program on [[March 20]], [[2005]], she discussed the fact that her sexual side has been the greatest struggle of her life. She pointed out that she came from a personally conservative background, which worked against her being open about her orientation, as contrasted with less inhibited players such as [[Martina Navratilova]].

Friends with singer [[Elton John]], the song "Philadelphia Freedom" is a tribute to King.<ref>http://www.songfacts.com/detail.lasso?id=2475]</ref> On a [[PBS]] program, John talked about how he brought a demo copy of the record to play for her right after he had recorded it.

[[Charles M. Schulz]], creator of the ''[[Peanuts]]'' comic strip, was another of King's admirers and close friends.  Schulz referenced King several times in ''Peanuts'' over the years.  In one strip, [[Peppermint Patty]] tells [[Marcie (Peanuts)|Marcie]], "Has anyone ever told you that when you're mad, you look just like Billie Jean King?"

In 1999 King was elected to serve on the Board of Directors of [[Altria|Philip Morris Incorporated]], garnering some criticism from anti-tobacco groups <ref>http://www.cleanlungs.com/education/features/king.html</ref>.  She no longer serves in that capacity.  

In 2000, King received an award from the [[Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation|GLAAD]], an organisation devoted to reducing discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals, for "furthering the visibility and inclusion of the community in her work."  The award noted her involvement in production and the free distribution of educational films, as well as serving on the boards of several [[AIDS]] charities.<ref>http://www.glaad.org/media/archive_detail.php?id=99</ref>

King currently resides in New York and Chicago<ref>http://www.worldteamtennis.com/about/billie.asp</ref> with partner [[Ilana Kloss]].

== Awards, honors, and tributes ==

[[Margaret Smith Court]], who won more [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] titles than anyone, has said that King was “the greatest competitor I’ve ever known.”[http://www.insidetennis.com/0405_bestfemale.html]

In 1972, King became the first tennis player to be named [[Sports Illustrated]] [[Sportsman of the Year]].  She was also the first female athlete ever to receive that honor.

In 1975, [[Seventeen (magazine)]] magazine found that King was the most admired woman in the world from a poll of its readers. [[Golda Meir]], who had been [[Israel]]'s prime minister until the previous year, finished second.

King was inducted into the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] in [[1987]]. In [[1990]], ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century." 

On [[August 28]], [[2006]], the [[USTA National Tennis Center]] in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was [http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2006-08-29/200608291156835261078.html rededicated] as the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.  [[John McEnroe]], [[Venus Williams]], [[Jimmy Connors]], and [[Chris Evert]] were among the speakers during the rededication ceremony.  The center is the largest sports facility in the world to be named after a woman.

In 2004, actor [[Jade Esteban Estrada]] portrayed King in the solo musical comedy ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 2.

==Grand Slam singles finals== 
===Wins (12)===
{| 
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Opponent in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|[[1966]]||[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || [[image:Flag of Brazil.svg|25px]] [[Maria Bueno]]||6-3, 3-6, 6-1
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|[[1967]] || Wimbledon <small>(2)  ||  [[image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[Ann Haydon Jones]] ||  6-3, 6-4 
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|1967 ||[[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]]  ||   [[image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] Ann Haydon Jones  || 11-9, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
|[[1968]]||  [[Australian Open|Australian Championships]]|| [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Margaret Smith Court]] ||  6-1, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|1968 || Wimbledon <small>(3) ||  [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Judy Tegart Dalton]]||9-7, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|[[1971]] || U.S. Open <small>(2) || [[image:Flag of the United States.svg|25px]] [[Rosemary Casals]] || 6-4, 7-6 
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF" 
|[[1972]] ||  [[French Open]]  ||   [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Evonne Goolagong Cawley]]||6-3, 6-3 
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|1972 || Wimbledon <small>(4) || [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Evonne Goolagong Cawley   || 6-3, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|1972 || U.S. Open <small>(3) ||  [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Kerry Melville Reid]] || 6-3, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|[[1973]]||  Wimbledon <small>(5) || [[image:Flag of the United States.svg|25px]] [[Chris Evert]]   ||  6-0, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|[[1974]]|| U.S. Open <small>(4) ||  [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Evonne Goolagong Cawley  || 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|[[1975]]  || Wimbledon <small>(6)  ||   [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Evonne Goolagong Cawley  || 6-0, 6-1
|}

===Runner-ups (6)===
{| 
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Opponent in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1963]] ||[[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] [[Margaret Smith Court]] || 6-3, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1965]] || [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Margaret Smith Court ||  8-6, 7-5 
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
|[[1968]] || U.S. Open || [[image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[Virginia Wade]]  ||  6-4, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
|[[1969]] || [[Australian Open]] ||   [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Margaret Smith Court || 6-4, 6-1
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|1969 || Wimbledon || [[image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|25px]] [[Ann Haydon Jones]] || 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
|[[1970]] || Wimbledon || [[image:Flag of Australia.svg|25px]] Margaret Smith Court || 14-12, 11-9
|}

==Grand Slam women's doubles finals==

===Wins (16)===
{|
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Partnering
|width="230"|'''Opponents in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1961]] || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Karen Hantze Susman]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Jan Lehane O'Neill]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Margaret Smith Court]] || 6-3, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1962]] || Wimbledon <small>(2) || {{flagicon|USA}} Karen Hantze Susman || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Sandra Reynolds Price]]<br>{{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Renee Schuurman Haygarth]] || 5-7, 6-3, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1964]] || [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || {{flagicon|USA}} Karen Hantze Susman || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lesley Turner Bowrey]] || 3-6, 6-2, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1965]] || Wimbledon <small>(3) || {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Maria Bueno]] || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Françoise Durr]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jeanine Lieffrig]] || 6-2, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1967]] || Wimbledon <small>(4) || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rosemary Casals]] || {{flagicon|BRA}} Maria Bueno<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nancy Richey Gunter]] || 9-11, 6-4, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1967 || U.S. Championships <small>(2) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mary Ann Eisel]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Donna Floyd|Donna Floyd Fales]] || 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1968]] || Wimbledon <small>(5) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ann Haydon Jones]] || 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1970]] || Wimbledon <small>(6) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Virginia Wade]] || 6-2, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1971]] || Wimbledon <small>(7) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Evonne Goolagong Cawley]] || 6-3, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1972]] || [[French Open]] || {{flagicon|NED}} [[Betty Stöve]] || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Winnie Shaw]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Christine Truman Janes]] || 6-1, 6-2
|-bgcolor="CCFFCC"
| 1972 || Wimbledon <small>(8) || {{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Judy Tegart Dalton]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr || 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1973]] || Wimbledon <small>(9) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 6-1, 4-6, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1974]] || U.S. Open <small>(3) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 7-6, 6-7, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1978]] || U.S. Open <small>(4) || {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Martina Navratilova]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Kerry Melville Reid]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Wendy Turnbull]] || 7-6, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1979]] || Wimbledon <small>(10) || {{flagicon|TCH}} Martina Navratilova || {{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} Wendy Turnbull || 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1980]] || U.S. Open <small>(5) || {{flagicon|TCH}} Martina Navratilova || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Pam Shriver]]<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 7-6, 7-5
|}

===Runner-ups (13)===
{|
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Partnering
|width="230"|'''Opponents in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1962]] || [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Karen Hantze Susman]] || {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Maria Bueno]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Darlene Hard]] || 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1964]] || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || {{flagicon|USA}} Karen Hantze Susman || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Margaret Smith Court]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Lesley Turner Bowrey]] || 7-5, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| [[1965]] || [[Australian Open|Australian Championships]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Robbyn Ebbern]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} Lesley Turner Bowrey || 1-6, 6-2, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1965]] || U.S. Championships || {{flagicon|USA}} Karen Hantze Susman || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Carole Caldwell Graebner]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Nancy Richey Gunter]] || 6-4, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1966]] || U.S. Championships <small>(3) || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rosemary Casals]] || {{flagicon|BRA}} Maria Bueno<br>{{flagicon|USA}} Nancy Richey Gunter || 6-3, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1968]] || [[French Open]] || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Françoise Durr]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ann Haydon Jones]] || 7-5, 4-6, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1968 || U.S. Open <small>(4) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|BRA}} Maria Bueno<br> {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court || 4-6, 9-7, 8-6
|-bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| [[1969]] || Australian Open <small>(2) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} Lesley Turner Bowrey || 6-4, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1970]] || French Open <small>(2) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|FRA}} Françoise Durr<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gail Sherriff Chanfreau]] || 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1973]] || U.S. Open <small>(5)|| {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Virginia Wade]] || 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1975]] || U.S. Open <small>(6) || {{flagicon|USA}} Rosemary Casals || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} Virginia Wade || 7-5, 2-6, 7-6
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1976]] || Wimbledon <small>(2) || {{flagicon|NED}} [[Betty Stöve]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Chris Evert]]<br>{{flagicon|TCH}} [[Martina Navratilova]] || 6-1, 3-6, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1979]] || U.S. Open <small>(7) || {{flagicon|TCH}} Martina Navratilova || {{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Wendy Turnbull]] || 7-5, 6-3
|}

==Grand Slam mixed doubles finals==
===Wins (11)===
{|
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Partnering
|width="230"|'''Opponents in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1967]] || [[French Open|French Championships]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Owen Davidson]] || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ann Haydon Jones]]<br>{{flagicon|ROM}} [[Ion Ţiriac]] || 6-3, 6-1
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| 1967 || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|BRA}} [[Maria Bueno]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ken Fletcher]] || 7-5, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1967 || [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Championships]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rosemary Casals]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Stan Smith]] || 6-3, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCCCFF"
| [[1968]] || [[Australian Open]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Dick Crealy]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Margaret Smith Court]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Allan Stone]] || walkover
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1970]] || French Open <small>(2) || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Bob Hewitt]] || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Françoise Durr]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean Claude Barclay]] || 6-2, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1971]] || Wimbledon <small>(2) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Marty Riessen]] || 3-6, 6-2, 15-13
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| 1971 || U.S. Open <small>(2) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Rob Maud]]<br>{{flagicon|NED}} [[Betty Stöve]] || 6-3, 7-5
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1973]] || Wimbledon <small>(3) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Janet Newberry]]<br>{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Raúl Ramírez]] || 6-3, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1973]] || U.S. Open <small>(3) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|AUS}} Margaret Smith Court<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Marty Riessen]] || 6-3, 3-6, 7-6
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1974]] || Wimbledon <small>(4) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Owen Davidson || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Lesley Charles]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Mark Farrell]] || 6-3, 9-7
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1976]] || U.S. Open <small>(4) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Phil Dent]] || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Frew McMillan]]<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 3-6, 6-2, 7-5
|}

===Runner-ups (7)===
{|
|-
|width="50"|'''Year
|width="200"|'''Championship
|width="200"|'''Partnering
|width="230"|'''Opponents in Final
|width="100"|'''Score in Final
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1966]] || [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Ralston]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ken Fletcher]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Margaret Smith Court]] || 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#EBC2AF"
| [[1968]] || [[French Open]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Owen Davidson]] || {{flagicon|FRA}} [[Françoise Durr]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Jean Claude Barclay]] || 6-1, 6-4
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1975]] || [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]] || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Fred Stolle]] || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rosemary Casals]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Richard Stockton]] || 6-3, 7-6
|-bgcolor="#FFFFCC"
| [[1977]] || U.S. Open <small>(2) || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Vitas Gerulaitis]] || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[Frew McMillan]]<br>{{flagicon|NED}} [[Betty Stöve]] || 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1978]] || Wimbledon <small>(2) || {{flagicon|AUS}} [[Ray Ruffels]] || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Frew McMillan<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 6-2, 6-2
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| 1978 || U.S. Open <small>(3) || {{flagicon|AUS}} Ray Ruffels || {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} Frew McMillan<br>{{flagicon|NED}} Betty Stöve || 6-3, 7-6
|-bgcolor="#CCFFCC"
| [[1983]] || Wimbledon <small>(3) || {{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Denton]] || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Lloyd]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Wendy Turnbull]] || 6-7, 7-6, 7-5
|}

==Titles during open era==
===Singles (67)===
*1968 - [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]]
*1969 - Pacific Southwest, South African Open, Natal, Dublin, Stockholm
*1970 - [[Rome Masters|Italian Open]], Sydney, Durban, London Indoors, Virginia Slims of Richmond
*1971 - [[U.S. Open (tennis)|U.S. Open]], San Francisco, Long Beach, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Chattanooga, U.S. Indoors-Detroit, Boston, San Diego, [[Qatar Telecom German Open|German Open]]-Hamburg, Hoylake, Kitzbuhel, Houston, U.S. Women's Clay Court Championship, Louisville, Phoenix, London Indoors
*1972 - [[French Open]], '''U.S. Open''', '''Wimbledon''', Phoenix, Richmond, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Tucson, Charlotte, Bristol
*1973 - '''Wimbledon''', Phoenix, Indianapolis, Denver, Nottingham, Virginia Slims of Hawaii, [[Toray Pan Pacific Open|Tokyo]]
*1974 - '''U.S. Open''', San Francisco, Washington D.C., Detroit, Akron, U.S. Indoors-New York
*1975 - '''Wimbledon''', Sarasota
*1977 - Lionel San Antonio, Phoenix, San Paulo, San Juan, Japan Invitational, London Indoors
*1979 - Tokyo, Stockholm
*1980 - Detroit, Houston, Tokyo
*1982 - [[DFS Classic|Birmingham]]
*1983 - Birmingham

==Grand Slam singles tournament timeline==
{|class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! Tournament !! [[1959]] !! [[1960]] !! [[1961]] !! [[1962]] !! [[1963]] !! [[1964]] !! [[1965]] !! [[1966]] !! [[1967]] !! [[1968]] !! [[1969]] !! [[1970]] !! [[1971]] !! [[1972]] !! [[1973]] !! [[1974]] !! [[1975]] !! [[1976]] !! [[1977]] !![[1978]] !![[1979]] !![[1980]] !![[1981]] !![[1982]] !! [[1983]] !! Career SR
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Australia
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A / A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" | '''1 / 5'''
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | France
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W''' 
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" | '''1 / 7'''
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Wimbledon
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" | '''6 / 21'''
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | United States
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|4R
| align="center"  style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center"  style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|2R
| align="center"  style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W''' 
| align="center"  style="background:#D8BFD8;" | F
| align="center"  style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" |A
| align="center"  style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center"  style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|3R
| align="center"  style="background:#00ff00;" | '''W'''
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center"  style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| align="center" |A
| align="center"  style="background:yellow;" | SF
| align="center" |A
| align="center" |A
| align="center"  style="background:#afeeee;"|1R
| align="center" |A
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" | '''4 / 18'''
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | SR
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 1
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 1
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 3
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |1 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |2 / 3
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |2 / 4
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 4
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |1 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |3 / 3
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |1 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |1 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |1 / 1
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 0
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 1
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 0
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 4
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" |0 / 2
| align="center" style="background:#EFEFEF;" | '''12 / 51'''
|}

A = did not participate in the tournament

SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

=== See also ===
* [[Tennis performance timeline comparison %28women%29|Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam final]]

==Grand Slam singles records==

===Wimbledon===

King's overall win-loss record at Wimbledon was 96-15 .865 in 21 years (1961-1975, 1977-1980, 1982-1983).  (Her win total includes one walkover but does not include any first round byes.)

King was 6-3 in finals, 9-5 in semifinals, and 14-6 in quarterfinals.  King failed to reach the quarterfinals only once, in 1961 during her first Wimbledon.  After receiving a bye during the first round, King lost to the fifth seed, [[Yola Ramirez Ochoa]], in the second round.

King was 23-7 in three set matches, 73-8 in two set matches, and 5-1 in deuce third sets, i.e., sets that were tied 5-5 before being resolved.

King was seeded 18 times out of 21 years.  (Wimbledon seeded 8 players from at least 1961 through 1976, 12 players in 1977, and 16 players from 1978 through the end of King's career.)
*Seeded #1 in 1974 (quarterfinalist), 1968 (champion), 1967 (champion).
*Seeded #2 in 1973 (champion), 1972 (champion), 1971 (semifinalist), 1970 (losing finalist), 1969 (losing finalist).
*Seeded #3 in 1975 (champion) and 1964 (semifinalist).
*Seeded #4 in 1966 (champion).
*Seeded #5 in 1980 (quarterfinalist), 1978 (quarterfinalist), 1977 (quarterfinalist), 1965 (semifinalist).
*Seeded #7 in 1979 (quarterfinalist).
*Seeded #10 in 1983 (semifinalist).
*Seeded #12 in 1982 (semifinalist).
*Unseeded in 1963 (losing finalist), 1962 (quarterfinalist), 1961 (lost second round).

King was 31-15 .674 against seeded players.  She never lost to an unseeded player (65-0).  Her worst loss was to #8 seed [[Olga Morozova]] in 1974.

*Versus #1 seeds, King was 4-7 (wins: [[Chris Evert]] (1975), [[Evonne Goolagong Cawley]] (1972), [[Margaret Smith Court]] (1966, 1962); losses: [[Martina Navratilova]] (1980), Chris Evert (1978, 1977), Margaret Smith Court (1970, 1964, 1963), [[Maria Bueno]] (1965)).

*Versus #2 seeds, King was 2-1 (wins: Maria Bueno (1966), [[Lesley Turner Bowrey]] (1963); loss: Chris Evert (1982)).

*Versus #3 seeds, King was 6-2 (wins: [[Tracy Austin]] (1982), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1973), Virginia Wade (1970), [[Ann Haydon Jones]] (1967, 1963), Lesley Turner Bowrey (1965); losses: [[Andrea Jaeger]] (1983), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1971)).

*Versus #4 seeds, King was 3-2 (wins: Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1975), Chris Evert (1973), Ann Haydon Jones (1968); losses: Tracy Austin (1979), Ann Haydon Jones (1969)).

*Versus #5 seeds, King was 0-2 (Ann Haydon Jones (1962), Yola Ramirez Ochoa (1961)).

*Versus #6 seeds, King was 4-0 ([[Wendy Turnbull]] (1982), [[Rosemary Casals]] (1972), [[Annette Du Plooy]] (1966), Ann Haydon Jones (1964)).

*Versus #7 seeds, King was 8-0 (Wendy Turnbull (1983), [[Olga Morozova]] (1975), [[Kerry Melville Reid]] (1973), Virginia Wade (1972), [[Francoise Durr]] (1971), [[Karen Krantzcke]] (1970), [[Judy Tegart Dalton]] (1968), Maria Bueno (1963)).

*Versus #8 seeds, King was 3-1 (wins: Judy Tegart Dalton (1969), Lesley Turner Bowrey (1968), Virginia Wade (1967); loss: Olga Morozova (1974)).

*Versus #14 seeds, King was 1-0 ([[Sue Barker]] (1978)).

Against her major rivals at Wimbledon, King was 4-2 versus Ann Haydon Jones, 3-0 versus Rosemary Casals, 3-0 versus Virginia Wade, 3-0 versus Francoise Durr, 3-1 versus Evonne Goolagong Cawley, 3-1 versus Maria Bueno, 2-3 versus Margaret Smith Court, 2-3 versus Chris Evert, 1-0 versus [[Christine Truman|Christine Truman Janes]], 1-0 versus [[Hana Mandlikova]], 1-1 versus Olga Morozova, 1-1 versus Tracy Austin, and 0-1 versus Martina Navratilova.

===United States Championships/Open===

King's overall win-loss record at the United States Championships/Open was 63-14 .818 in 18 years (1959-1969, 1971-1974, 1977, 1979, 1982).  She was 55-11 on grass, 5-2 on hard courts, and 3-1 on clay.  (Her win total does not include any first round byes.  Her loss total includes two retirements.)

King was 4-2 in finals, 6-1 in semifinals, and 7-3 in quarterfinals.

King was 8-4 in three set matches, 55-10 in two set matches, and 4-1 in deuce third sets, i.e., sets that were tied 5-5 before being resolved.

King was seeded 14 times out of the 18 years she entered the tournament.
*Seeded #1 in 1973 (lost third round), 1972 (champion), 1971 (champion), 1968 (losing finalist), 1967 (champion).
*Seeded #2 in 1974 (champion), 1966 (lost second round).
*Seeded #3 in 1969 (quarterfinalist), 1964 (quarterfinalist), 1963 (lost fourth round).
*Seeded #5 in 1965 (losing finalist).
*Seeded #7 in 1977 (quarterfinalist).
*Seeded #9 in 1979 (semifinalist).
*Seeded #12 in 1982 (lost first round).
*Unseeded in 1962 (lost first round), 1961 (lost second round), 1960 (lost third round), 1959 (lost first round).

King was 12-8 .600 against seeded players and 51-6 .895 against unseeded players.

*Versus #1 seeds, King was 0-3 ([[Chris Evert]] (1979 and 1977), [[Margaret Smith Court]] (1965)).

*Versus #2 seeds, King was 3-0 ([[Rosemary Casals]] (1971), [[Ann Haydon Jones]] (1967), [[Maria Bueno]] 1965).

*Versus #3 seeds, King was 1-0 (Ann Haydon Jones (1965)).

*Versus #4 seeds, King was 1-1 (win: [[Virginia Wade]] (1979); loss: [[Christine Truman|Christine Truman Janes]] (1961)).

*Versus #5 seeds, King was 3-1 (wins: [[Evonne Goolagong Cawley]] (1974), Margaret Smith Court (1972), Maria Bueno (1968); loss: [[Nancy Richey Gunter]] (1964)).

*Versus #6 seeds, King was 1-2 (win: Rosemary Casals (1974); losses: Nancy Richey Gunter (1969), Virginia Wade (1968)).

*Versus #7 seeds, King was 0-1 ([[Bernice Carr Vukovich]] (1960)).

*Versus #8 seeds, King was 1-0 (Virginia Wade (1972)).

*Versus #9 seeds, King was 2-0 ([[Kerry Melville Reid]] (1977 and 1972)).

Against her major rivals at the United States Championships/Open, King was 3-1 versus Virginia Wade, 2-0 versus Maria Bueno, 2-0 versus Ann Haydon Jones, 2-0 versus Rosemary Casals, 1-0 versus Evonne Goolagong Cawley, 1-0 versus [[Francoise Durr]], 1-1 versus Margaret Smith Court, 1-2 versus Chris Evert, 0-1 versus Christine Truman Janes, and 0-2 versus Nancy Richey Gunter.

===French Championships/Open===

King's overall win-loss record at the French Championships/Open was 22-6 .786 in 7 years (1967-1970, 1972, 1980, 1982).  (Her win total does not include any first round byes but does include one walkover.)

King was 1-0 in finals, 1-1 in semifinals, and 2-4 in quarterfinals.  She failed to reach the quarterfinals only once, in 1982 when she lost to [[Lucia Romanov]] in the third round.

King was 3-3 in three set matches, 19-3 in two set matches, and 1-0 in deuce third sets, i.e., sets that were tied 5-5 before being resolved.

King was seeded all 7 years she entered the tournament.
*Seeded #1 in 1968 (semifinalist), 1967 (quarterfinalist).
*Seeded #2 in 1980 (quarterfinalist), 1970 (quarterfinalist), 1969 (quarterfinalist).
*Seeded #3 in 1972 (champion).
*Seeded #10 in 1982 (lost third round).

King was 5-3 .625 against seeded players and 17-3 .850 against unseeded players.

*Versus #1 seeds, King was 1-0 ([[Evonne Goolagong Cawley]] (1972)).

*Versus #5 seeds, King was 0-2 ([[Diane Fromholtz Balestrat]] (1980), [[Nancy Richey Gunter]] (1968)).

*Versus #6 seeds, King was 1-0 ([[Virginia Wade]] (1972)).

*Versus #7 seeds, King was 1-1 (win: [[Helga Niessen Masthoff]] (1972); loss: Helga Niessen Masthoff (1970)).

*Versus #8 seeds, King was 1-0 ([[Maria Bueno]] (1968)).

*Versus #16 seeds, King was 1-0 ([[Gail Sheriff]] (1967)).

Against her major rivals at the French Championships/Open, King was 1-0 versus Virginia Wade, 1-0 versus Maria Bueno, 1-0 versus Evonne Goolagong Cawley, 1-1 versus Helga Niessen Masthoff, 0-1 versus [[Lesley Turner Bowrey]], and 0-1 versus Nancy Richey Gunter.

===Australian Championships/Open===

King's overall win-loss record at the Australian Championships/Open was 16-4 .800 in 5 years (1965, 1968, 1969, 1982, 1983).  (Her win total does not include any first round byes.)

King was 1-1 in finals, 2-1 in semifinals, and 3-1 in quarterfinals.

King was 5-1 in three set matches, 11-3 in two set matches, and 1-0 in deuce third sets, i.e., sets that were tied 5-5 before being resolved.

King was seeded all 5 years she entered the tournament.
*Seeded #1 overall in 1969 (losing finalist), 1968 (champion).
*Seeded #2 foreign in 1965 (semifinalist).
*Seeded #7 overall in 1983 (lost 2nd round).
*Seeded #9 overall in 1982 (quarterfinalist).

King was 6-3 .667 against seeded players and 10-1 .909 against unseeded players.

*Versus #1 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 0-1 ([[Margaret Smith Court]] (1965)).

*Versus #2 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 0-2 ([[Chris Evert]] 1982, Margaret Smith Court (1969)).

*Versus #3 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 2-0 ([[Ann Haydon Jones]] (1969), [[Judy Tegart Dalton]] (1968)).

*Versus #4 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 1-0 ([[Robyn Ebbern]] (1965)).

*Versus #6 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 1-0 ([[Karen Krantzcke]] (1969)).

*Versus #7 seeds (domestic, foreign, or overall), King was 2-0 ([[Barbara Potter]] (1982), Margaret Smith Court (1968)).

Against her major rivals at the Australian Championships/Open, King was 1-0 versus [[Kerry Melville Reid]], 1-0 versus Judy Tegart Dalton, 1-0 versus Evonne Goolagong Cawley, 1-0 versus Ann Haydon Jones, 1-2 versus Margaret Smith Court, and 0-1 versus Chris Evert.


==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{wta|id=110100|name=Billie Jean King}}
* [http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=171 International Tennis Hall of Fame profile]
* [http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/history/billiejean_king.html Official Wimbledon profile]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/wimbledon_history/3742111.stm BBC profile]
* [http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016060.html ESPN.com article]
* [http://www.fedcup.com/teams/player.asp?Player=20000786 Fed Cup record]
* [http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0258446/ ''When Billie Beat Bobby''] (IMDb info on the 2001 TV drama/comedy about ''The Battle of the Sexes'')
* [http://www.graduationwisdom.com/speeches/0011-king.htm Billie Jean's motivational commencement speech]
* [http://www.WTT.com World TeamTennis]
{{Australian Open women's singles champions}}
{{French Open women's singles champions}}
{{Wimbledon women's singles champions}}
{{US Open women's singles champions}}
{{Tennis Career Grand Slam Champions}}
{{Tennis women grand slam three and more}}

<!-- Note: when King won her Australian title, the tournament wasn't yet "Open". -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:King, Billie Jean}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:California State University, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:American tennis players]]
[[Category:Tennis Hall of Fame members]]
[[Category:Australian Open champions]]
[[Category:French Open champions]]
[[Category:US Open champions]]
[[Category:Wimbledon champions]]
[[Category:American feminists]]
[[Category:People from Long Beach, California]]
[[Category:Bisexual sportspeople]]
[[Category:Lesbian sportspeople]]

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