President Barack Obama awarded Bille Jean King the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House in 2009.
Top award —
President Barack Obama awarded Bille Jean King the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the East Room of the White House in 2009.
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King made her tennis debut back in 1959. Here, competing under her maiden name Moffitt, she plays a forehand volley during her Wimbledon semifinal in 1964.
Rising star —
King made her tennis debut back in 1959. Here, competing under her maiden name Moffitt, she plays a forehand volley during her Wimbledon semifinal in 1964.
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King holds aloft the trophy after beating Ann Jones to win the women's singles title at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in 1967.
Inspiration for a generation —
King holds aloft the trophy after beating Ann Jones to win the women's singles title at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships in 1967.
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Billie Jean King with Bobby Riggs before the 'Battle of the Sexes' match in 1973.
Inspiration for a generation —
Billie Jean King with Bobby Riggs before the 'Battle of the Sexes' match in 1973.
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The 55-year-old Bobby Riggs cuts a forlorn figure as he slips to defeat against King in the famous "Battle of the Sexes" at Houston in 1973.
Routed Riggs —
The 55-year-old Bobby Riggs cuts a forlorn figure as he slips to defeat against King in the famous "Battle of the Sexes" at Houston in 1973.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Riggs and King embrace after the famous encounter in 1973. King won the match in straight sets.
Iconic match —
Riggs and King embrace after the famous encounter in 1973. King won the match in straight sets.
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Actress Holly Hunter played King in a special TV film based on the Riggs match, which had a $100,000 winner-takes-all prize.
Film double —
Actress Holly Hunter played King in a special TV film based on the Riggs match, which had a $100,000 winner-takes-all prize.
Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images)
King was the senior member of a powerful 1978 U.S. Wightman Cup team which also included Chris Evert and Tracey Austin.
Wightman wonders —
King was the senior member of a powerful 1978 U.S. Wightman Cup team which also included Chris Evert and Tracey Austin.
Frank Tewkesbury/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
King presents Maria Sharapova with a check for $1 million after the Russian superstar won the WTA Championships in 2004 -- beating Serena Wiliams in the final.
Glittering prizes —
King presents Maria Sharapova with a check for $1 million after the Russian superstar won the WTA Championships in 2004 -- beating Serena Wiliams in the final.
Robert Laberge/Getty Images
King is joined by Lindsay Davenport, Andy Roddick, Elton John, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, Tommy Haas and Jan-Michael Gambill at a World Team Tennis charity day.
Star gathering —
King is joined by Lindsay Davenport, Andy Roddick, Elton John, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, Tommy Haas and Jan-Michael Gambill at a World Team Tennis charity day.
Skip Bolen/Getty Image
King, in her role as captain of the United States Fed Cup team, gives a pep talk to Monica Seles during a 2000 tie against Belgium.
Captain fantastic —
King, in her role as captain of the United States Fed Cup team, gives a pep talk to Monica Seles during a 2000 tie against Belgium.
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WTA founder King is flanked by Sharapova and Williams at a special gathering of former No. 1s to mark the organization's 40th anniversary.
Happy 40th —
WTA founder King is flanked by Sharapova and Williams at a special gathering of former No. 1s to mark the organization's 40th anniversary.
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