Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is the preeminent sports icon of the 20th century. Her legendary career includes 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles tennis titles, and a record 20 wins at Wimbledon. This year marks Billie Jean’s 50th Anniversary of her first Wimbledon win, when she was just 17 years old. Off the court, she also paved the way for equality among both genders, and continues to make her mark today.
After 40 years of debilitating pain and strain from playing tennis, and six knee surgeries (her first being at age 23, when she was the #1 female tennis star in the world), Billie Jean decided to sacrifice her life’s passion – playing tennis. A year ago, unable to withstand the pain any longer, she underwent a double knee replacement with Smith & Nephew’s VERILAST™ Knee Technology. Now, at the ripe age of 67 years old, she is pain-free and back on the courts, and has been able to return to her beloved sport.
