Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King’s 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 39 total majors are anchored by her legendary 1973 Battle of the Sexes win against Bobby Riggs, which drew 90 million viewers worldwide. That match catalyzed a 40% increase in prize money equality within five years, a faster shift than the average social change in sports. King remains the only player on this list to defeat male competition at that scale, a benchmark for impact beyond statistics.