Billie Jean King

A champion on the tennis court and for equal rights, Billie Jean King was a true pioneer in the world of sports. She fell in love with tennis as a young girl growing up in Southern California, and went on to dominate the sport in the 1960s and 1970s by winning several Grand Slam matches, including the prestigious Wimbledon tournament, as a singles and doubles player. King won a record 20 Wimbledon titles, 13 U.S. Open titles, four at the French Open, and two at the Australian Open. She historically faced off against Bobby Riggs during the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" match, which ended with King taking home the top prize and gaining respect for female athletes all over the world. She was also one of the first openly gay athletes and continually advocated against discrimination and fought for equality, years after she retired from competitive play. In 2009, King was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, an honor deservedly bestowed upon a tennis legend and one of the most influential people of the 20th Century.