Billie Jean King: Tennis Legend, LGBTQ+ Activist, Net Worth

In 1973, a 29-year-old tennis player stepped onto a court in Houston and changed more than just the scoreboard. Billie Jean King’s victory over Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes was never just about tennis — it became a flashpoint for gender equality. This article traces how King’s 39 Grand Slam titles, her public coming out, and her fight for equal prize money all wove together into a life that reshaped sports and civil rights.

Grand Slam titles: 39 ·
Singles titles: 12 ·
Born: November 22, 1943 ·
Net worth (estimated): $20 million ·
Key win: Battle of the Sexes (1973)

Five key facts about King’s life, one pattern: every chapter of her biography reinforced the same theme — using sport as a lever for equality.

The table above frames King’s life not as a single arc but as a series of interlocking roles: athlete, spouse, partner, and advocate.

Was Billie Jean King LGBTQ?

Yes. King came out as a lesbian in 1981, making her the first prominent professional female athlete to publicly identify as gay, according to BBC Sport (credible sports broadcaster). The revelation came through a palimony lawsuit filed by a former lover, which forced her sexuality into the open.

When did Billie Jean King come out?

In 1981, a former partner sued King for palimony. King chose to publicly acknowledge her sexuality rather than fight the suit in secrecy. “I have a long, long journey. I was outed in ’81. I lost everything overnight,” she told USA Today (leading news outlet).

What was the public reaction to her coming out?

The reaction was swift and punishing. King lost all her endorsement deals within weeks, according to BBC Sport. Sponsors distanced themselves despite her status as a tennis icon. Yet she turned that loss into fuel: “That was the moment I decided I would champion equality the rest of my life,” she said in a CNN interview (news network).

How did her sexuality impact her career?

Her tennis career was already winding down by 1981, but the public outing shifted her focus from competition to activism. She became an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and co-founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative in 2014, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating workplace discrimination based on race, gender, and sexuality, as detailed in a YouTube interview snippet (personal account).

Did Billie Jean King Ever Marry?

Yes, King married Larry King (no relation to the talk-show host) in 1965. They divorced in 1987. The marriage produced no children, as King has confirmed in interviews.

Who was Billie Jean King’s ex-husband?

Larry King was a law student when they met. He later became a sports lawyer and supported her career. In a YouTube interview (archival footage), King described Larry as a “good man” who struggled with her eventual coming out.

Did she have children?

No. King has stated that she decided early on not to have children, partly because of the demands of her tennis career and partly because she realized later in life that she was not oriented toward a traditional family structure.

When did she divorce?

The divorce was finalized in 1987, six years after her public coming out. The marriage had effectively ended years earlier, but the legal separation came after her sexuality became public.

Is Billie Jean King a Millionaire?

Yes. Estimates place King’s net worth at around $20 million, though exact figures are hard to verify. She earned prize money during an era when women’s tennis purses were a fraction of men’s, then built wealth through endorsements, speaking fees, and board roles.

What is Billie Jean King’s net worth?

Various sources estimate her net worth between $15 million and $25 million. The most commonly cited figure is $20 million, based on her post-career earnings from speaking engagements, book deals, and her role as a global ambassador for tennis and equality.

How did she earn her wealth?

King’s on-court earnings were modest by today’s standards — she earned roughly $1 million in career prize money. The bulk of her fortune came later: she served on corporate boards (including Philip Morris in the 2000s, as noted by Wikipedia (encyclopedic source)), commanded six-figure speaking fees, and co-founded the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), which created the revenue structure that enriched later players.

Is she one of the richest female tennis players?

Not by current standards. Players like Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova have far higher net worths. But among pioneers of the sport, King remains financially comfortable. Her wealth is less a measure of earnings and more a testament to her ability to leverage her platform over decades.

Who Was Billie Jean King’s Lover?

King’s long-term partner is Ilana Kloss, a former professional tennis player from South Africa. They have been together since the early 1970s and legally married in 2018 after the U.S. Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling.

Who is Ilana Kloss?

Kloss was a top-ranked junior player who later became a coach and business partner. She co-founded the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative with King and has been a steady presence through King’s most turbulent years.

How long have they been together?

More than 50 years. They met in 1972 and began a relationship that has lasted through King’s marriage, her coming out, and her rise as an activist. “She’s my rock,” King said in a YouTube interview (personal account).

Did they ever marry?

Yes, they married in 2018. The ceremony was private, but King later shared that it felt “long overdue.” The marriage formalized a partnership that had already endured for nearly five decades.

What Is the Billie Jean King Cup?

The Billie Jean King Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition in women’s tennis, equivalent to the Davis Cup for men. Originally called the Federation Cup when it was founded in 1963, it was renamed in 2020 to honor King’s contributions to the sport.

When was the Billie Jean King Cup established?

The competition began in 1963 as the Federation Cup, one year after the International Tennis Federation approved a women’s team event. King herself played on the U.S. team that won the inaugural title.

How is it different from the Fed Cup?

It’s the same event — the Fed Cup was simply rebranded. The name change, announced in 2020 and effective from 2021, was a formal recognition of King’s role in advancing women’s tennis globally.

Why was it renamed?

The ITF renamed the competition to honor King’s lifelong commitment to equality and her leadership in creating the WTA. “It wasn’t about tennis, it was about history and social change,” King said in a YouTube interview (archival clip). The official Billie Jean King Cup website (competition home page) now carries her name as a permanent legacy.

Timeline: Key moments in Billie Jean King’s life

• 1943 – Born in Long Beach, California
• 1961 – Won first Wimbledon doubles title
• 1965 – Married Larry King
• 1973 – Defeated Bobby Riggs in Battle of the Sexes; founded WTA (Wikipedia)
• 1981 – Came out as lesbian after palimony lawsuit (BBC Sport)
• 1987 – Divorced Larry King
• 2009 – Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama (YouTube (ceremony footage))
• 2018 – Married Ilana Kloss
• 2020 – Billie Jean King Cup named in her honor (official cup site)

The timeline shows a consistent arc: each personal milestone — marriage, coming out, new partnership — corresponded with a shift in her public mission.

In her own words

“I thought it would set us back 50 years if I didn’t win.”

Billie Jean King, on the Battle of the Sexes, YouTube interview (archival clip)

“I wanted to be honest and live my truth.”

Billie Jean King, on coming out, CNN interview (news network)

These two quotes — one about a tennis match, one about a life decision — capture the same core: King understood that visibility and honesty were tools for change.

For today’s young athletes, especially those navigating identity and ambition, Billie Jean King’s path offers a clear blueprint: use your platform, accept the costs, and build structures that outlast you. The challenge for tennis’s next generation is whether they will carry that torch as boldly as she did.

For a deeper look at her journey, explore Billie Jean Kings biography and legacy which covers her impact on and off the court.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Jack Draper: Age, Injuries, Relationship Status, Ranking · Rosie Jones Disability: Career, Biography, and Facts