Billie Jean King: Battle of the Sexes, Wife, Grand Slams

Few athletes have shaped a sport the way Billie Jean King transformed tennis. She didn’t just win titles — she rewrote the rules for who gets to play, who gets paid, and who gets to be themselves on and off the court. With 39 Grand Slam championships and a landmark victory in the 1973 Battle of the Sexes, her impact stretches far beyond the baseline. This profile traces the person behind the trophies: her marriage to Ilana Kloss, her fight for equality, and the parts of her story that still surprise people.

Grand Slam titles: 39 (12 singles, 16 doubles, 11 mixed) ·
Battle of the Sexes: Defeated Bobby Riggs in 1973 ·
Founded WTA: 1973 ·
Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2009 ·
Spouse: Ilana Kloss (married 2018)

Six facts about King’s life and career tell the story of a champion who played for more than trophies.

The table below shows the key biographical details that define King’s identity and career trajectory.

Why is Billie Jean King so famous?

King’s fame rests on four pillars that together build a legacy unmatched in modern sports. Each one represents a different kind of victory — on the court, in the boardroom, and in the culture.

Battle of the Sexes victory

On September 20, 1973, King defeated Bobby Riggs, a 55-year-old former men’s champion, in a match broadcast to an estimated 90 million viewers worldwide. The match, staged at the Houston Astrodome, carried outsized symbolism: Riggs had boasted that even a top female player couldn’t beat an aging male one. According to the Harry Walker Agency (speakers bureau representing King), the victory became a watershed moment for women’s sports and gender equality.

39 Grand Slam titles

Across her career, King won 39 Grand Slam championships. The tally, as detailed by the Billie Jean King official biography, breaks down to 12 singles titles, 16 women’s doubles titles, and 11 mixed doubles titles. The BBC (UK public broadcaster) confirms this widely used accounting. Her six Wimbledon singles titles place her among the most successful grass-court players in history, according to Wikipedia.

Founding the WTA

In 1973, King and a group of fellow players founded the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), creating the first unified tour for professional women’s tennis. The National Women’s History Museum (US women’s history institution) notes that King also helped launch the Virginia Slims circuit, the precursor to the modern WTA Tour. The following year, she led the push for equal prize money at the US Open — a fight that eventually reshaped the economics of women’s sports.

Lifelong activism for gender equality

King used her platform to advocate for Title IX, the US law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The Harry Walker Agency notes her ongoing promotion of broader opportunities for women in sports. The Billie Jean King Foundation (her philanthropic organization) describes activism as central to her legacy, focused on equity, inclusion, and leadership development.

Does Billie Jean King have a wife now?

Marriage to Ilana Kloss

Yes. Billie Jean King married Ilana Kloss in a private ceremony on October 18, 2018, as confirmed by the Billie Jean King official biography. The couple had been together for decades before marrying. Kloss, a former professional tennis player from South Africa, was ranked world No. 1 in doubles in 1976 and world No. 19 in singles in 1979, according to Wikipedia.

Relationship timeline

King and Kloss began their relationship in the 1980s after King’s marriage to Larry King ended in 1987, per Wikipedia. Kloss later served as commissioner of World TeamTennis from 2001 to 2021, as noted on her Wikipedia entry. The couple has built both a personal partnership and a professional one: Kloss sits on the board of the Billie Jean King Foundation.

Is Billie Jean King LGBTQ?

Coming out in 1981

Billie Jean King is a lesbian. According to Wikipedia, her sexuality was not voluntarily disclosed — it was made public in 1981 when a former lover, Marilyn Barnett, filed a palimony lawsuit. King later acknowledged that the forced disclosure was one of the most difficult moments of her life. She told interviewers she had considered suicide, though she eventually turned the experience into fuel for advocacy.

LGBTQ+ advocacy

King has been an active advocate for LGBTQ+ rights for decades. The Billie Jean King Foundation lists LGBTQ+ equality among its core priorities. King has spoken publicly about the importance of authenticity: “I knew if I didn’t come out, I would be living a lie,” she told reporters.

Who was Billie Jean King’s lover?

Marilyn Barnett relationship

Marilyn Barnett was King’s former secretary and romantic partner. According to Wikipedia, the relationship ended before the lawsuit, and Barnett claimed she was owed lifetime support from King. The case drew intense media scrutiny and forced King to publicly acknowledge her same-sex relationship at a time when such admissions carried serious professional and personal risks.

Palimony lawsuit

Barnett filed the palimony suit in 1981, seeking financial support and a share of property. The case was ultimately dismissed by the California courts, per Wikipedia. But the damage to King’s privacy was done. She lost an estimated $500,000 in endorsement income in the immediate aftermath. The episode, however, also galvanized King’s commitment to living openly, and she became a symbol of resilience for LGBTQ+ people in sports.

What is the age difference between Billie Jean King and her wife?

Birth years

Billie Jean King was born on November 22, 1943, according to Wikipedia. Ilana Kloss was born on March 22, 1956, per Wikipedia.

Age gap comparison

The age difference is 12 years and 4 months (King is older). Kloss turned 68 in 2024; King turned 81. The BBC profiles Kloss as King’s longtime partner, and the couple’s age gap has drawn occasional public curiosity. For context, the age difference between King and Kloss is comparable to that between Bobby Riggs and his second wife, though with a very different public trajectory.

Timeline

• 1943: Born in Long Beach, California (Wikipedia).
• 1961: Won Wimbledon women’s doubles title — first major championship (Wikipedia).
• 1966: First Wimbledon singles title (Wikipedia).
• 1972: Won the US Open, French Open, and Wimbledon in the same year (Billie Jean King official biography).
• 1973: Won Battle of the Sexes vs. Bobby Riggs; co-founded the WTA (Harry Walker Agency).
• 1981: Marilyn Barnett palimony lawsuit; King’s sexuality publicly revealed (Wikipedia).
• 2009: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom (Billie Jean King Foundation).
• 2018: Married Ilana Kloss (Billie Jean King official biography).

Quotes

“Every woman deserves to have a choice. If she wants to be a tennis player, she should be able to do that.”

— Billie Jean King

“I knew if I didn’t come out, I would be living a lie.”

— Billie Jean King

Summary

Billie Jean King’s legacy is built on more than 39 Grand Slam titles. She forced tennis — and by extension, the broader sports world — to reckon with equal pay, women’s professionalism, and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Her marriage to Ilana Kloss, her survival of the 1981 palimony crisis, and her decades of policy advocacy add up to a career that redefined what an athlete can be. For any young player stepping onto a WTA court today, the choice is clear: compete because the path was paved, or carry the work forward. King did both.

Related reading: **Venus Williams: Biography, Age, Net Worth & Health** · **Maria Sharapova Now: Career, Net Worth, Kids, Life After Tennis**

For a comprehensive look at her life and career, see Billie Jean Kings biography and legacy.

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