Billie Jean King

Billie Jean King won 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles, but her legacy extends beyond trophies to a transformative impact on the sport. Her iconic 1973 'Battle of the Sexes' victory over Bobby Riggs, watched by 90 million TV viewers, became a defining moment for gender equality. King was instrumental in founding the Women's Tennis Association in 1973, which increased prize money parity by 400% over the next decade. She also pushed for equal pay at the US Open, which offered $100,000 to the men’s champion compared to $55,000 for the women’s in 1972. Her advocacy led to the US Open becoming the first Grand Slam to offer equal prize money in 1973, a benchmark every other major eventually followed.