Claim: Billie Jean King was an athlete.

Billie Jean King -LRB- née Moffitt ; born November 22 , 1943 -RRB- is an American former World No. 1 professional tennis player . King won 39 Grand Slam titles : 12 in singles , 16 in women 's doubles , and 11 in mixed doubles . King won the singles title at the inaugural WTA Tour Championships . King often represented the United States in the Federation Cup and the Wightman Cup . She was a member of the victorious United States team in seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups . For three years , King was the United States ' captain in the Federation Cup .   King is an advocate for gender equality and has long been a pioneer for equality and social justice . In 1973 , at age 29 , she won the Battle of the Sexes tennis match against the 55-year-old Bobby Riggs , and was the founder of the Women 's Tennis Association , World TeamTennis -LRB- with former husband Larry King -RRB- , and the Women 's Sports Foundation .   Regarded by many in the sport as one of the greatest tennis players of all time , King was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987 . The Fed Cup Award of Excellence was bestowed on King in 2010 . In 1972 , King was the joint winner , with John Wooden , of the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award and was one of the Time Persons of the Year in 1975 . King has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year lifetime achievement award . King was inducted into the National Women 's Hall of Fame in 1990 , and in 2006 , the USTA National Tennis Center in New York City was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center .