American Billie Jean King began her studies over 60 years ago. Now she has finally completed them.
Tennis icon Billie Jean King has earned her college degree at the age of 82. The former world No. 1 and winner of a total of 39 Grand Slam titles graduated from California State University, Los Angeles, with a Bachelor of Arts in history more than 60 years after starting her studies, and delivered the commencement address for the Class of 2026 on Monday. King had originally enrolled at the university in 1961.
“I had one unfinished task in my life, and it was important to me to finish what I started,” King said of her latest achievement. “I like to finish things. It’s like shaking hands at the net after a match.”
King had dropped out of college in 1964 to focus entirely on tennis. The American became an icon of her sport, winning twelve Grand Slam singles titles, 16 doubles titles, and eleven mixed doubles titles.
King has been an advocate for equality and against sexism for decades. In her honor, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) renamed the Fed Cup the Billie Jean King Cup in 2020.